International board is 'ready'

Foreign companies queuing up to trade stocks in Chinese market

SHANGHAI - The Shanghai Stock Exchange said it's "basically ready" to let foreign issuers sell stock, paving the way for companies from HSBC Holdings PLC to Coca-Cola Co to list in the world's second-biggest equity market.

Trading should start "as soon as possible when the time is ripe", Xu Ming, executive vice-president in charge of the international stocks board, said in an interview last Friday at the exchange. While there's no timetable, the exchange has finished work on technological and regulatory requirements, Xu said.