New Applicants
Every application for listing by a new applicant should be submitted to the Listing Division which may reject it or recommend it. However, the Listing Committee has reserved to itself the power to approve all applications for listing from a new applicant and this means that even if such an application is recommended by the Executive Director – Listing or the Chief Executive of the Exchange it must still be approved by the Listing Committee. The Listing Committee may at the request of the Listing Division give an "in principle" approval, that a particular issuer or its business, or a particular type of security is suitable for listing, at an early stage in the application process (but will again consider the full application after the Listing Division has processed it). Otherwise the Listing Committee will not consider an application from a new applicant until the Listing Division has processed the application. If the Listing Committee approves a listing the Listing Division will issue a formal approval letter, in due course.

The Listing Committee has delegated to the Executive Director – Listing the power to approve an application for listing of debt securities issued or guaranteed (in the case of guaranteed issues) by the following issuers or (in the case of guaranteed issues) guarantors:

1. States;
2. Supranationals;
3. State corporations;
4. banks and corporations having an investment grade credit rating; and
5. issuers whose equity securities are listed on the Exchange and which have a market capitalization, at the time of the application, of not less than HK$5,000,000,000.

The Listing Committee has delegated to the Executive Director - Listing the power to approve an application for listing of interests in any Collective Investment Scheme which has been authorised by the Commission pursuant to the Securities and Futures Ordinance and the respective codes applicable to Collective Investment Schemes issued by the Commission from time to time.

Listed Issuers
Applications for listing by a listed issuer will be dealt with by the Listing Division and it is the Executive Director – Listing who will normally approve the listing and issue the formal approval letter, in due course. However, the Listing Committee may determine the matter in the first instance at the request of the Listing Division where it considers it appropriate to do so.