Inflows hit $68b despite attacks

Eunice Lam

Competing countries and regions may bad-mouth Hong Kong amid geopolitics but foreign investors are still confident in the city, said director-general of investment promotion Alpha Lau Hai-suen.

InvestHK assisted 539 enterprises in setting up or expanding last year, with total foreign direct investment reaching more than HK$67.7 billion.

Lau yesterday described the results as "acceptable" and said many foreign investors were still confident in Hong Kong despite locals having dim hopes.

Although the global economy was undergoing recovery and wars driving rises in fuel prices, she said growth in Asia and greater China was still higher than the rest of the world.

This has attracted foreign business to settle here, Lau said.

Of the 539 enterprises, about half, or 273 companies, originated from the mainland while others were from the United States, France, among other Western countries.

She sees herself as a saleswoman for Hong Kong - saying despite the "product" having good qualities, packaging is needed.

"We can't rule out that some competing regions or other places, including banks and companies, have been saying your products are not good and bad-mouth you. It is not weird at all," Lau said.