HONG KONG, July 19 (Reuters) - Hungary has hired Bank of China and HSBC to conduct a sale of yuan-denominated bonds in China’s interbank bond market, a source close to the deal said on Wednesday.

The sovereign has been rated ‘AAA’ by China Lianhe Credit Rating, and with this it will join the ranks of countries like Portugal and South Korea which have sold securities known as “Panda” bonds -- debt sold by foreign entities to investors in mainland China.

No other details on the issue were immediately available.

Beijing is tentatively removing barriers to foreign issuers as it seeks to internationalise its renminbi or yuan currency and open up sources of finance for its planned “One Belt, One Road” trade route that stretches as far as Europe. (Reporting by Umesh Desai; Editing by Kim Coghill)