An inauguration ceremony of the association for listed companies is held in Hefei high-tech zone, Anhui province on Jan 18. [Photo from WeChat account hefeigaoxinfabu]

An association for companies whose shares are listed on a stock exchange for public trading was inaugurated in Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone, Anhui province on Jan 18.

The association, composed of 45 member companies, including 16 listed ones, six intermediary agencies and 23 pre-IPO enterprises, is expected to serve as a bridge for the cooperation between listed companies and those having the intention of going public, and to open up new paths connecting businesses and the capital market.

Once put into operation, the association will speed up companies' connections with multi-level capital markets, assist the government and enterprises in doing more for industrial development and encourage all parties to help companies achieve leap-forward development.

Hefei high-tech zone is home to 22 listed companies, representing 50 percent of Hefei's total and 21 percent of Anhui's. A large number of qualified high-tech enterprises are also preparing to enter the market.

In recent years, based on the companies' ambitions of going public, the zone has been taking action to build a service chain, from releasing competitive policies, establishing a coordination mechanism involving different departments, to organizing training courses and seeking out a group of potentially suitable companies.