Hong Kong's international platform can offer comprehensive support to mainland enterprises going global, Hong Kong Trade Development Council Chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang said.
He spoke at the opening of the 29th Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium in Beijing on Wednesday, stressing the city's ties with the mainland as a way to open new markets.
With this year marking the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and Hong Kong's inaugural First Five-Year Plan, Ma said the country's development direction is where the city's opportunities lie.
Leveraging its advantages as an international platform, he urged the city to join hands with Beijing as well as state-owned enterprises to open up global markets.
He further described Hong Kong as one of China's most international cities, which could offer full support to mainland enterprises expanding overseas.
Noting that the HKTDC is a core member of the GoGlobal Task Force, he said the council has launched a cross-sector professional services platform, GoGlobal Connect, to connect mainland companies with Hong Kong's professional service providers.
With more than 50 offices worldwide, the HKTDC's network could help reduce risks and open up Belt and Road markets in ASEAN, the Middle East and Central Asia to more companies, he said.
Pointing to close trade ties between Beijing and Hong Kong, Ma noted that the HKTDC and the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, the Zhongguancun Administrative Committee, will continue to build the Beijing-Hong Kong Science and Technology Collaborative Innovation Platform cooperation mechanism to promote research cooperation in both places.
Looking ahead, Ma said the HKTDC hopes to work with Beijing to seize opportunities under the 15th Five-Year Plan, leveraging Hong Kong's international platform and the council's global network.
