BEIJING - China's Ministry of Finance (MOF) will support treasury bond market makers by buying or selling bonds when there is a glut or short supply in the market.

Common international practice, the move reflects the relatively low liquidity of the Chinese treasury bond market, the ministry said in a statement.

The move will ensure the continuous operation of the secondary market, promote coordinated development of the primary and secondary market and further raise liquidity.

After consulting the central bank, the MOF decided to conduct the support once in a month at most with a fixed quota in the initial stage.

China issues treasury bonds with a wide range of maturities, from three months to 50 years. However, some lack liquidity and are rarely traded.