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Hong Kong will deepen its support for the Belt and Road Initiative and cement its role as a premier hub for attracting overseas enterprises while assisting mainland firms in going global, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday.
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Writing in his weekly blog, Chan noted that rapid growth across emerging markets is reshaping global supply chains and driving substantial capital inflows, establishing an active, two-way corridor for international trade and investment.
Positioned at the intersection of these dual flows, Hong Kong serves as an indispensable platform for accelerating development and deepening cross-border exchanges, both by drawing global capital into China and facilitating mainland enterprises’ overseas expansion, he said.
The 11th Belt and Road Summit, to be held in Hong Kong this Wednesday and Thursday, will feature a dedicated session on corporate global expansion for the first time.
Chan noted that the summit will focus on key growth sectors, including energy transition, artificial intelligence, the low-altitude economy, and urban development, alongside site visits designed to foster direct commercial collaboration.
Over the past five years, the combined share of ASEAN, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian markets in Hong Kong’s total trade has expanded to approximately 17 percent, growing at an average annual rate of nearly 10 percent, Chan highlighted.
Hong Kong’s direct investment in ASEAN reached US$16.5 billion last year—up roughly 140 percent from five years ago—while the number of ASEAN and Middle Eastern companies establishing operations in the city exceeded 930, representing an increase of nearly 30 percent.
Chan noted that Hong Kong remains the top choice for mainland enterprises seeking global expansion. He said more than 100 Belt and Road enterprises are currently listed in the city, with a combined market value exceeding HK$340 billion, while state-owned infrastructure firms from Central Asia are planning listings in Hong Kong.
In debt financing, Chan noted that as of July, 82 bonds from Belt and Road regions totaling more than HK$470 billion had been listed in Hong Kong.
He added that offshore renminbi dim sum bonds have gained strong traction among overseas issuers, including a 9.25 billion yuan issuance by the Indonesian government in February and a 3.5 billion yuan issuance by Kazakhstan’s state oil and gas company in August—the largest dim sum bond issuance of its kind by a Central Asian firm in Hong Kong.
Chan added that Hong Kong continues to enhance its regulatory and tax environment, having concluded comprehensive double taxation agreements with 43 Belt and Road jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, the government’s Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global has assisted over 300 mainland firms in setting up or expanding local operations to support their international ambitions.
