Hong Kong's dual role as both a financial gateway into the mainland and a launchpad for Chinese companies expanding abroad is more important than ever in the face of global economic headwinds, according to Mike Rowse, the former director-general of InvestHK, the investment promotion arm of the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) on Tuesday, he highlighted the city's enduring strengths -- from its common law system and independent judiciary, to its level playing field for global businesses.
"It is an increasingly uncertain world, but Hong Kong is always flexible, able to think on its feet, and we did sell ourselves and offer ourselves to the world as a doorway into the rest of China. But increasingly and even in my time in the department, we were offering ourselves to Chinese companies as a springboard out to the rest of the world, and that role has become even more important I think in the last decade, especially with the Belt and Road countries, Hong Kong companies, and mainland companies want to explore those opportunities around the rest of the world," he said.
"This is the place to do it from. We've always been here, we've always been sound, we've always had a great legal system. We've always welcomed companies from around the world. It's a level playing field. Everyone gets a fair deal. We have an independent judiciary. People have confidence in these things when they're taking a long-term view," Rowse said.
Hong Kong's unique hub role strengthens amid global economic uncertainty: ex-official
