China's Social Security Fund mulls professionalising investment

As the fund nears the Rmb1 trillion mark, it is looking at ideas to boost performance, from amending asset allocation to creating a new subsidiary for investing.

The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) in China is likely to grow to Rmb1 trillion ($146 billion) in the next two years and needs to restructure to handle its increased scale, says chairman Dai Xianglong.

One idea being considered -- but not yet approved -- is to transform the fund's investment-management team from civil servants into a new subsidiary run along commercial lines. That would mean it could pay market rates to attract top talent, Dai said yesterday at the Pacific Pension Institute conference for Asian pension funds in Bangkok.

Other steps will include ...