Subject to regulatory approval, the new local fund line will help position the firm in time for the mutual recognition platform between Hong and China to ensure that it is ready for the increased demand that will follow, according to a statement. Barings has decided in principle to appoint HSBC as administrator, trustee, transfer agent and custodian for the range.

Barings has been active in China for over two centuries and opened its first office in Hong Kong in 1973. It launched one of the first mutual funds investing in the region in 1982, managed the first dedicated China fund in 1985 and was one of the early investors in China's domestic A-share market. 

The company currently manages some $14.4 billion in assets in Asia ex-Japan, of which $3.7 billion are in China/Greater China. It employs more than 130 staff in this region.