LHASA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China's securities regulator has approved the IPO application of a Tibetan securities firm, which will bring the number of listed companies to 18 in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Registered in the plateau region in 1997, ChinaLin Securities mainly offers securities transaction and investment consultancy services, said the Tibetan branch of China's Securities Regulatory Commission.

Tibet had its first listed company in 1995.

Currently the region has 17 listed companies, covering sectors such as food, medicine, mining and construction.