BOSCI (BVI) Limited -- Moody's assigns (P)A1 to BOSCI's credit enhanced bonds

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Rating Action: Moody's assigns (P)A1 to BOSCI's credit enhanced bonds

Global Credit Research - 01 Sep 2020

Hong Kong, September 01, 2020 -- Moody's Investors Service has assigned a provisional (P)A1 rating to the credit enhanced bonds to be issued by BOSCI (BVI) Limited.

The bonds will be supported by an irrevocable standby letter of credit (SBLC) from China Construction Bank Corporation, Hong Kong Branch (the LC bank), which has been assigned a long-term Counterparty Risk (CR) Assessment of A1(cr).

Issuer: BOSCI (BVI) Limited

.... USD[] [] per cent. Credit Enhanced Bonds due 20[], assigned (P)A1

RATINGS RATIONALE

The (P)A1 rating of the bonds is based on the CR Assessment of the LC bank. The bonds are fully supported by an irrevocable USD-denominated SBLC which is an unsecured and unsubordinated obligation of the LC bank.

The payment obligations of the LC bank under the SBLC will at all times rank at least equal to all of its other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations.

The issuer may from time to time create and issue further bonds provided that certain conditions have been met, including that such bonds are supported by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by the LC bank. The terms of the irrevocable letter of credit of the new bonds have to be substantially similar to those of the SBLC.

The issuer is not rated and is an indirect subsidiary of Bank of Shanghai Co., Ltd., to which Moody's has assigned Baa2 issuer and deposit ratings.

China Construction Bank Corporation, the head office of the LC bank, reported assets of RMB25.4 trillion as of 31 December 2019.

Citicorp International Limited is the trustee. Citibank N.A., London Branch is the principal paying agent, transfer agent and registrar. Citibank N.A., Hong Kong Branch is the LC proceeds account bank and pre-funding account bank.

The principal methodology used in this rating was "Rating Transactions Based on the Credit Substitution Approach: Letter of Credit-backed, Insured and Guaranteed Debts" published in May 2017 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1068154. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.

FACTORS THAT WOULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATING:

Any change to the long-term CR Assessment of the LC bank could lead to a corresponding change in the rating of the bonds.

REGULATORY DISCLOSURES

For further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.