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Despite global economic chaos, foreign chambers report record confidence in Hong Kong’s rule of law, IP protection, and talent pool.
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In a world riddled with geopolitical conflicts, supply chain fragmentation, and inflationary pressures, stability has become the rarest commodity. While many economies grapple with uncertain growth prospects, Hong Kong stands in stark contrast. And the strongest endorsement comes not from government officials, but from the business leaders who vote with their capital every day – including the foreign chambers of commerce that represent thousands of international firms.
The narrative of Hong Kong’s decline is not only premature but contradicted by hard data. The more chaotic the world becomes, the more the international business community gravitates towards Hong Kong’s reliability.
What the chamber surveys actually say
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po disclosed that according to recent surveys conducted by some foreign chambers of commerce, the majority of their member companies remain optimistic about Hong Kong’s business prospects, with the proportion holding positive expectations reaching a multi-year high.
The European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong has noted that while global supply chain realignments pose challenges, the vast majority of European firms see Hong Kong as irreplaceable for accessing both the mainland and the broader Asian market. Business leaders consistently cite the city’s independent judiciary, common law system, and protection of intellectual property as non-negotiable advantages.
Chan said that he had met with political and business leaders from Europe, the United States, and the Middle East during the 19th Asian Financial Forum, and they unanimously expressed a positive outlook on Hong Kong’s future while noting the emergence of more new opportunities.
Record influx of foreign companies
The confidence reflected in chamber surveys is backed by concrete numbers. According to InvestHK’s 2025 annual report, the total number of overseas and mainland Chinese parent companies operating in Hong Kong surged to 11,070 – an increase of over 1,100 firms, or an 11 percent growth, in a single year. These companies employ more than 500,000 people, demonstrating deep-rooted commitment rather than transient interest.
Furthermore, InvestHK’s investment promotion team assisted 560 overseas and mainland companies to set up or expand in Hong Kong during 2025, bringing record-high foreign direct investment and creating over 10,000 new jobs.
Why they come: beyond low taxes
When chamber leaders are asked why they stay, five structural strengths consistently emerge. First is the rule of law and common law system. As the only common law jurisdiction within the mainland, Hong Kong offers a legal framework familiar to Western investors where contracts are enforceable and the judiciary operates independently.
Second, intellectual property protection is a non-negotiable advantage. Hong Kong ranks sixth globally in IP protection, with a regime separate from the mainland, which is critical for technology, pharmaceutical, and creative industries.
Third, the city boasts exceptional talent and financial capacity, including a multilingual workforce and one of the world’s most liquid capital markets. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange consistently ranks among the top three globally by IPO proceeds.
Fourth and most decisively, proximity to the mainland’s 1.4 billion consumers remains the ultimate ace. Hong Kong provides a familiar, low-risk foothold into the Greater Bay Area – a US$1.9 trillion (HK$14.82 trillion) economic zone that rivals entire nations.
Fifth, the ambitious Northern Metropolis development is transforming Hong Kong into a genuine science and research hub, attracting more companies to establish R&D centers and laboratories, thereby strengthening the city’s innovation ecosystem and diversifying its economic base beyond finance and services. Together, these five strengths explain why global capital continues to choose Hong Kong, even as other parts of the world grow more chaotic.
The gateway to Asia’s growth story
As noted by financiers, the influx of mainland tech giants – from artificial intelligence to electric vehicles – listing in Hong Kong has created a deep pool of liquidity attractive to global allocators. When many Western economies face stagnation, Asia is projected to contribute roughly 60 percent of global GDP expansion this year. Business leaders view Hong Kong not merely as a market of 7.5 million people, but as a control tower for regional expansion into Asean, the Middle East, and beyond.
Certainty in an uncertain world
The consistent message from chamber of commerce leaders is this: when economies in many parts of the world look uncertain, Hong Kong delivers certainty. Setting up a foothold here allows companies to tap not only the mainland Chinese market but the entire Asian growth story. In an era where global business leaders are desperate for predictability, the chambers have delivered their verdict with both words and wallets: Hong Kong is not just stable; it is essential.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
