BEIJING - China's Ministry of Finance (MOF) issued yuan-denominated treasury bonds worth five billion yuan ($711 million) in Hong Kong on Wednesday.

Of the total, 3.5 billion yuan will mature in two years and 1.5 billion yuan will mature in five years, the MOF said in a statement on its website.

This is the second round of yuan-denominated treasury bonds issued by the ministry in Hong Kong this year. The first, also worth 5 billion yuan, was issued in June.

The MOF started selling yuan-denominated treasury bonds in Hong Kong in September 2009 to boost the region's economy and speed up the expansion of offshore yuan business.