Hong Kong definitely to have better tomorrow: spokesman

The tomorrow of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) will definitely be better, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday, in commenting on Hong Kong's return to the top three in global competitiveness ranking.

Hong Kong has climbed two spots to rank the third in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2025 published Tuesday by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development, marking the region's return to the top three for the first time since 2019.

Most notably, Hong Kong ranks the first worldwide in tax policy and business legislation, according to the report.

"It is a recognition of Hong Kong’s unique position and strength, and the prospect of One Country, Two Systems. Hong Kong has entered a stage where it is set to thrive. It is becoming more attractive as an international financial center, and it is drawing more foreign companies and individuals to make investments and start new businesses. Hong Kong remains one of the world’s freest economies and most competitive regions," said Guo Jiakun, the spokesman, at a press conference in Beijing.

"According to statistics, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) gained No.1 spot in global fundraising in the first half of this year, with a total amount of 14 billion U.S. dollars. The number of overseas visitors received by Hong Kong in the first five months of this year rose by 18 percent year on year, and a number of large international companies have redomiciled to Hong Kong. Those are votes of confidence for Hong Kong from the international community," he said.

"The Hong Kong National Security Law will soon enter its fifth year of implementation. We believe that with the institutional safeguards of One Country, Two Systems, and given Hong Kong’s unique advantage of having the backing of the motherland and being connected to the world as well as a secure environment for high-quality development, Hong Kong is headed to an even brighter future," said the spokesman.

Hong Kong definitely to have better tomorrow: spokesman

Hong Kong ranked as the world's top IPO venue in 2025, with record-setting average daily trading volumes and fundraising levels rising sharply from a year earlier, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced on Monday.

As of Dec 19, HKEX IPOs raised a total of 274.6 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 35.29 billion U.S. dollars) from 106 new listings, with four companies in the world's top 10 IPOs of 2025. Companies listed on HKEX raised 66 billion U.S. dollars in follow-on offerings, highlighting the vibrancy and depth of Hong Kong's capital markets, the HKEX said.

Data show that for the cash market, average daily turnover in the first 11 months of 2025 reached 230.7 billion Hong Kong dollars, an increase of 43 percent year on year.

Global capital flowed back to Hong Kong in 2025, driven by the "DeepSeek moment," innovative technology initiatives and sweeping market reforms. Since the implementation of Chapter 18A and 18C of the Exchange's Listing Rules, 88 biotech and specialist technology companies have listed on HKEX, reflecting robust investor interest in cutting-edge sectors, the HKEX said.

Hong Kong ranks global first in 2025 IPO market financing