John Lee Opens Asian Financial Forum, Highlights Hong Kong’s Growth and Opportunities

Speech by CE at Asian Financial Forum (with photos/video)

Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Asian Financial Forum (AFF) today (January 26):

Honourable Director Zhou Ji of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Honourable Deputy Governor Zou Lan of People's Bank of China, Honourable Commissioner Cui Jiancun of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Honourable Executive Vice Mayor Wu Wei of Shanghai, Honourable Vice Governor Wang Junshou of Hunan, Professor Frederick Ma (Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council), government officials and distinguished guests from around the world, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. And welcome to Hong Kong and the 19th Asian Financial Forum.

I would first like to welcome our friends coming from around the world. I extend my warmest welcome to His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister Klemen Bostjancic of Slovenia (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Slovenia), His Excellency Minister Mehmet Simsek from Türkiye (Minister of Treasury and Finance of Türkiye), as well as other officials and representatives of different countries. I also welcome Her Excellency Zou Jiayi, who has recently assumed the post of President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, for joining us here. Thank you all.

It is a great pleasure to be with you today - and so many of you, I'm delighted to see. Over these next two days, more than 3 600 are expected - high-profile finance and business leaders, visionary investors and entrepreneurs, senior policymakers, academics, economists and many other respected decision-makers, from more than 60 countries and regions.

The inaugural Global Business Summit is among the many highlights of this year's Forum. Designed to encourage deeper financial and industrial co-operation, it will be held throughout tomorrow, day two of the AFF.

Both days, with their panel discussions, plenaries, thematic workshops, fireside chats and other sessions, are organised under the tagline "Finance Empowering Business" and overall theme, "Co-creating New Horizons amid an Evolving Landscape". Featuring more than 150 prominent speakers, from Hong Kong, throughout the Asian region and around the world, the Forum will inspire insight and innovation, create partnerships and explore fresh business opportunities.

I can't think of a better way to ring in this New Year, with its daunting issues and, yes, its boundless opportunities.

Speaking of "boundless opportunities", allow me a few minutes to update you on Hong Kong, what we're doing and what we're planning to realise our far-reaching financial and business promise.

It begins with "one country, two systems", the unique principle that assures us of the unwavering support of China, our country, while continuing to expand our global markets and reach. This unparalleled positioning solidifies our institutional strengths: the rule of law, a judiciary that exercises its power independently, an open and transparent market, the free flow of capital and a low and simple tax regime.

These have ensured Hong Kong thrives as a top destination for enterprises that seek to grow and develop, in an environment that's safe and convenient to do business. You don't just have to take my word for it.

Ladies and gentlemen, as we welcome the New Year, I am pleased to announce to you all, a truly international audience, that Hong Kong has made unprecedented achievements in the past year - in attracting quality businesses to our city.

According to our annual survey, the number of foreign- and Mainland-affiliated companies in Hong Kong was 11 070 in 2025, up 11 per cent from the year before. That's a record high number of firms with their parent companies located outside Hong Kong.

We've seen a robust growth of companies coming from a wide range of places. For example, those from Singapore, France, Australia, the United States and Switzerland have all risen by over 11 per cent. Companies from countries in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and the Middle East have also grown by some 10 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. Meanwhile, Mainland Chinese companies here have grown a whopping 17 per cent. Together, these enterprises from around the world hired nearly 510 000 people - more than half a million - in Hong Kong, up 3 per cent from 2024.

We do more than bring in companies - we're also good at nurturing them. Last year, the number of start-ups in Hong Kong grew to over 5 200, again a record-breaking high, and up 11 per cent from 2024. Our start-ups hired nearly 20 000 people in Hong Kong; that's a 12 per cent growth year on year. And like our companies, our non-local entrepreneurs come from a large variety of places, with half of them coming mainly from the UK, the US, France and different Asian countries, and the other half from the Mainland.

The encouraging results represent more than a vote of confidence in Hong Kong by these businesses and entrepreneurs. They also mean our solid efforts in facilitating business establishment and operation, and in creating an enabling ecosystem for start-ups, are bearing fruit.

As you would know, companies turn to Hong Kong for many reasons - but our prowess as a financial hub is certainly a key factor.Hong Kong's financial regulatory system is robust, and our financial market stands out for its deep liquidity, innovative products and world-class investor protection. We also boast a highly educated workforce, a welcoming environment for global talent and transparent financial regulations aligned with international standards.

These strengths are widely recognised. We ranked third, globally, and first in Asia, in the most recent Global Financial Centres Index. And we placed third in the 2025 World Competitiveness Yearbook, up two places over the previous year.

Over the past year, we introduced a series of measures to enhance Hong Kong's listing mechanism and stock market. The results are clearly encouraging: the Hang Seng Index surged about 30 per cent last year, while average daily turnover rose to over US$32 billion.

And Hong Kong ranked No.1 in the world last year in initial public offerings, raising some US$36 billion.

Hong Kong has long been recognised as a hub for asset owners and family offices. At the end of 2024, we managed more than US$4.5 trillion in assets, 11 times our GDP - a year-on-year growth of 13 per cent.

More than 200 family offices had set up operations or expanded their business here by the end of 2025.And we are working to welcome at least 220 more family offices to establish operations or expand their business in Hong Kong by 2028.

As the world's largest offshore Renminbi business hub, Hong Kong processes about three quarters of global offshore Renminbi payments and has the largest offshore Renminbi liquidity pool.

Last year, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority introduced a Renminbi Trade Finance Liquidity Facility. It was upgraded, last October, into a Renminbi Business Facility, allowing banks to expand the use of Renminbi by their corporate customers.

The launch, also last year, of offshore Renminbi repurchase and cross-boundary repurchase businesses has boosted Renminbi liquidity channels. These arrangements provide investors with greater convenience, and more stable support, in obtaining liquidity and accessing the onshore repurchase business.

In international bond issuance by Asian institutions, the volume arranged by Hong Kong in 2024 totalled more than US$130 billion, accounting for about 30 per cent of the market.

Hong Kong has an active dim sum bond market as well, with issuance volume breaking the RMB1 trillion mark in 2024 and expected to reach a similar level in 2025.

Hong Kong is also a leading green and sustainable finance hub. In 2024, the volume of green and sustainable bonds arranged in Hong Kong amounted to about US$43 billion, capturing 45 per cent of the regional total and topping the Asian market for seven consecutive years.

To date, we have issued government green bonds totalling US$32 billion, including retail, institutional and tokenised bonds of multiple currencies and tenors, raising funds for many local green projects.

As of last September, we had issued over 200 ESG (environmental, social and governance) funds, with assets under management of more than US$141 billion. The number of ESG funds and assets under management increased 32 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, from three years ago.

To boost our status as an international financial centre, we are focused on three main areas.

First, we are working to reinforce Hong Kong's strengths. That includes deepening our equity market, expanding our bond market and advancing the asset management and wealth management sector.

To boost our stock market, we introduced the Technology Enterprises Channel. It helps Mainland and international technology companies raise funds in Hong Kong.

To elevate our status as one of the world's leading fundraising and investment hubs, we will optimise the Main Board's regimes for listing and issuing products.

The HKEX (Hong KongExchanges and Clearing Limited) is working to enable electronic securities holding and trading and will put forward a proposal, in the coming months, to shorten the settlement cycle for Hong Kong's cash equities market. That, ladies and gentlemen, will create a solid foundation for the sustained growth of our capital markets.

Rising global investor interest in Renminbi-denominated bonds highlights Hong Kong's pivotal role as a gateway for cross-boundary capital flow. And we will continue to explore measures that deepen mutual access between Mainland and Hong Kong financial markets. That includes introducing offshore treasury bond futures in Hong Kong and expanding interest rate derivatives under Swap Connect.

Second, we are expediting the development of new growth areas. That very much includes building an international gold trading market and commodities trading ecosystem in Hong Kong.

In a moment, you'll witness a bright illustration of our gold ambitions - the signing of a co-operation agreement between the Shanghai Gold Exchange and the HKSAR Government. The co-operation agreement will set in motion a cross-boundary, trade-clearing system for the precious metal.

The HKSAR Government is also committed to expanding Hong Kong's gold storage, targeting a storing capacity of more than 2 000 tonnes in three years. That, ladies and gentlemen, will see Hong Kong's rise as a regional gold reserve hub.

A central clearing system for gold will be established here, to provide efficient and reliable clearing services for gold transactions, in compliance with international standards.

We will also diversify gold investment and work with the trade to form an industry organisation in Hong Kong.

In commodities trading, we joined the London Metal Exchange's global warehousing network last January.

To date, 15 Hong Kong warehouses have begun operations, with more than 20 000 tonnes of metals on warrant to support the Exchange's contract delivery.

Turning to fintech, last June, we issued a second policy statement on digital assets, reinforcing the Government's commitment to establishing Hong Kong as a global hub for digital asset innovation.

And last August, our Stablecoins Ordinance came into effect, providing a licensing regime for issuers of fiat-referenced stablecoins in Hong Kong.

Last month, we published the consultation conclusions on proposed licensing regimes for digital asset dealing and custodian service providers. We plan to introduce a bill into the legislature later this year.

Last November, we expanded the products and services that can be offered by licensed, virtual asset trading platforms, and we will also promote artificial intelligence business applications.

In the carbon market, the HKEX signed an MOU last year with the Guangzhou Emissions Exchange, the Shenzhen Green Exchange and the Macao International Carbon Emission Exchange, pledging to accelerate the Greater Bay Area's carbon markets and green finance development.

Because there's so much more that Hong Kong, a leading financial hub, could do to promote sustainability in the capital market. That, I'm glad to add, has been recognised by the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation, which confirmed, last June, that Hong Kong is one of the first jurisdictions to have set a target for fully adopting the Sustainability Disclosure Standards of the International Financial Reporting Standards.

Third, international exchanges and co-operation remain a priority. We will assist companies interested in re-domiciling to Hong Kong, a world city that makes it much easier to connect with the globe and excel. Our company re-domiciliation regime, in effect since last May, has been positively received.

To date, 14 non-Hong Kong corporations have re-domiciled to Hong Kong.

And we are working on measures to attract more Mainland enterprises to establish Corporate Treasury Centres here.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's just a taste of what we're doing to boost Hong Kong's status as an international business and financial centre, while ensuring a safe and stable environment for companies and investors.

I am grateful to the organisers of the Asian Financial Forum, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Government's Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, for once again bringing us together for finance and business - and, I trust, the many pleasures that Hong Kong, Asia's world city, offers.

In just over three weeks, we will celebrate the Lunar New Year - the Year of the Horse.

The horse symbolises vitality, perseverance and progress, qualities I'm sure we all look forward to realising, despite the hurdles and obstacles we face in today's non-stop geopolitical steeplechase.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a rewarding Asian Financial Forum, and a healthy and prosperous Year of the Horse.

Thank you.

Speech by CE at Asian Financial Forum (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by CE at Asian Financial Forum (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by CE at Asian Financial Forum (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Remarks by CE at media session before ExCo (with video)

Following are the remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting today (January 27):

Reporter: Good morning, Chief Executive. First, regarding the resignation of Mr Erick Tsang, currently in the CMAB (Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau), both the Political Assistant and Permanent Secretary of the bureau are vacant, and now the Secretary is gone as well. How can you ensure the bureau will run smoothly? You just said that no other underperforming officials will be removed in the near future. Is it possible that some officials will be sacked after the Tai Po fire independent committee (Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po) wraps up its work? And second question, regarding the new seat belt law, I am not sure if the Government misjudged that it did not conduct a public consultation back then when enacting the law. Would the Government consider calls like exempting short-haul journeys from the new rules? Thank you.

Chief Executive: You have asked three questions, but I will exceptionally deal with them all. First of all, the application by Erick Tsang to resign from his job because of personal health reasons is fully appreciated. Principal Officials' jobs are very demanding. Not just the workload is heavy, but the pressure is also heavy. I can understand why Erick, under the present health condition, would like to take a rest so as to take care of his health problems.

I have also said that there will be no further change of Principal Officials, particularly now that we have so many things to do, and they are all doing these as I require them to, sharing my governance philosophy. For the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau (CMAB), because of the departure of Erick Tsang, of course, it will mean that I will have to look for a replacement. In the meantime, the Under Secretary will be the Acting Secretary. I will ensure that the CMAB will be sufficiently staffed with colleagues of the right calibre, and I will be discussing with the Civil Service Bureau, so that we can make early arrangements for the right staff to be posted to the CMAB. Lying ahead, the CMAB has a lot of important tasks to do. That is why I said that had Erick's health condition been manageable, I really would have liked him to continue. But since he has now applied for resignation, we have to ensure that we build up some kind of study teams within the CMAB, so as to look at the different work that lies ahead, laying out the priorities and the significance for each task, and then supply the CMAB with sufficient staff and people with the right calibre. That will be done as soon as possible.

In regard to the accountability for the Tai Po fire, I have said repeatedly that all those who should be held accountable will be held to account, whether they are within the Government or outside the Government, whether they are at the junior level or senior level, and that we will pursue accountability to the very end. Accountability must be grounded on facts and evidence. It has to be fair and just to all parties concerned on this basis. Any action taken before the facts have been fully ascertained will not be based on facts and evidence and would therefore not be in accordance with the principles of fairness and justice. The criminal investigations by law enforcement agencies, including the Police and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, as well as the comprehensive review by the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po chaired by Mr Justice David Lok, are being carried out at full speed and with the utmost effort to ascertain the truth and clarify responsibilities as soon as possible. I will pursue accountability in accordance with the actual circumstances or the basis of the facts and evidence as established by these investigations.

Regarding seat belts, wearing seat belts on public transport has been implemented for many years in a lot of countries and places, some for over 10 years, some for over 20 years, for example, in the Mainland, the UK, Australia and Singapore - all with the aim of safeguarding passengers' lives and safety. Studies have shown that in head-on collisions, seat belts can reduce serious injuries by 70 per cent and deaths by 40 per cent, preventing passengers from being thrown out of the vehicle or in subsequent hitting around inside the vehicle. The recommendation to wear seat belts was given in the review of a serious, fatal traffic accident in 2018 on Tai Po Road, which resulted in 19 deaths and 66 injuries. The Independent Review Committee, set up to inquire into that accident, has come up with this recommendation among a series of other recommendations, with a view to preventing similar large-scale deaths and injuries. The recommendation was made based on research, discussion, and also sad and sorrowful experience learned. I understand the measure will require a change in behaviour, and passengers may feel inconvenient at the beginning. However, this small change in behaviour can potentially reduce serious injuries by 70 per cent and deaths by 40 per cent. The intent is to enhance safety protection for passengers.

During the implementation process, the primary focus of the initial phase will be on public education, advice, and changing habits. Meanwhile, the Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) will require public transport operators to properly manage the cleanliness, functionality, and regulatory compliance of seat belt installations. The TLB will continue its promotion, publicity, and educational efforts to ensure the public understands that the law intends to protect them from serious injuries when an accident occurs unexpectedly. At the same time, the law allows for a reasonable excuse, such as an emergency or sudden special need, and those people will be exempted from liability. The Government will handle each case balanced in law, reason, and compassion. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

Source: AI-found images