Speech by CE at InvestHK International and Mainland Businesses Welcome Reception (with photos/video)
Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the InvestHK International and Mainland Businesses Welcome Reception today (June 25):
11 07011 4135308 600
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I'm delighted to welcome enterprising companies from the Chinese Mainland and around the world to Hong Kong.
You bring to Hong Kong strategic expertise in innovation and technology, financial services and fintech, tourism and hospitality, transport and logistics, business and professional services, and more. In choosing Hong Kong for your Asian and global business expansion, you share my belief in Hong Kong's flourishing future. And your critical role in realising it.
You have made a wise choice. Hong Kong is one of the world's best economies to do business in and with.
Last year, Hong Kong once again topped the Fraser Institute's ranking of the world's freest economies. Last month, the Global Wealth Report ranked Hong Kong the world's largest cross-boundary wealth-management centre. And, just last week, we were named second, overall, among the world's most competitive economies, in the latest World Competitiveness Yearbook.
These, and other international laurels, are a tribute to our "one country, two systems" framework and the resourceful, resilient Hong Kong companies that make it work. They have made Hong Kong the world's "super connector" and "super value-adder". That includes serving as a two-way springboard for Chinese Mainland enterprises to go global and overseas enterprises to explore the vast Mainland market.
And our investment promotion results are more than reassuring. In the first half of this year, we welcomed 413 companies establishing or expanding their operations in Hong Kong - a year-on-year increase of some 10 per cent. Together, they are expected to bring in over HK$53 billion in foreign direct investment and create more than 8,600 new jobs.
We are expediting development of the Northern Metropolis, our new economic engine destined to rise as an international I&T and business hub. This will unlock abundant opportunities and shape a prosperous future for Hong Kong.
To take full advantage of the opportunities Hong Kong has been given through the National 15th Five-Year Plan, we are creating Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan, a strategic blueprint that will focus on long-term economic momentum, advancing technology and improving livelihoods. A two-month public consultation is already underway.
We are also launching the public consultation for the 2026 Policy Address next Monday. Running both consultations at the same time makes it easier for everyone to weigh in on both. I invite you to share your views on both the FiveYear Plan and the Policy Address. Your insights will help shape policies that directly affect your business environment.
Ladies and gentlemen, for your confidence and investment in Hong Kong's future, my thanks to you all. I wish everyone of you a memorable evening and the best of business in the coming year. Thank you.
Speech by CE at InvestHK International and Mainland Businesses Welcome Reception (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speech by CE at InvestHK International and Mainland Businesses Welcome Reception (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speech by CE at InvestHK International and Mainland Businesses Welcome Reception (with photos/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DSJ attends 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Xinjiang
The Deputy Secretary for Justice and the Chairman of the Expert Committee on Professional Services for Going Global, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan, today (June 25) attended the 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Urumqi, Xinjiang, on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. The visit aims to promote the unique advantages of Hong Kong's professional services, and foster closer co-operation between the country and the Eurasian regions for jointly advancing the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Upon his arrival in Urumqi yesterday (June 24), Dr Cheung met with leaders of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region along with political and business representatives from various countries and regions of Asia and Europe, followed by a welcome dinner.
This morning, Dr Cheung met with the Chairman of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Mr Erkin Tuniyaz, and attended the opening ceremony of the Expo. Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the People's Government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Expo attracted the participation of 27 countries and regions, as well as enterprises and institutions from various places as exhibitors.
Dr Cheung stated that as a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong has been actively participating in the work of high-quality joint development. Earlier, he joined a business delegation comprising representatives from Hong Kong and the Mainland led by the Chief Executive on a visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, aiming to promote deep co-operation with these two major Central Asian countries participating in the joint development of the Belt and Road Initiative. He was delighted to return to Xinjiang for a major international exchange event following his previous visit in 2024.
Dr Cheung said that Xinjiang is a bridgehead for China's westward opening-up and a core zone of the Silk Road Economic Belt, with a distinct geographical advantage of bridging East-West two-way trade flows. While Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantages of having strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the "one country, two systems" principle, it also serves as an international hub for finance, trade, shipping and innovative technology. Dr Cheung said he believed that the Expo would help further promote co-operation between the two places and the Eurasian region.
Dr Cheung added that Hong Kong's legal, accounting, and financial professional services have always been renowned for their high standards and alignment with international rules, providing one-stop support for enterprises along the Belt and Road in areas such as cross-border investment, risk management, and legal dispute resolution. Hong Kong is committed to transforming these advantages into a powerful force for assisting enterprises to go global and jointly develop the Belt and Road Initative. The Hong Kong Professional Services GoGlobal Platform, established by the Department of Justice, will spare no effort in facilitating precise connections between enterprises with Hong Kong's professional services.
He expressed hope that more Xinjiang and Eurasia enterprises would make good use of Hong Kong's world-leading professional services to go global, driving more high-quality development projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, and bringing mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.
Dr Cheung concluded his visit and returned to Hong Kong this afternoon.
DSJ attends 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Xinjiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DSJ attends 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Xinjiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
DSJ attends 9th China-Eurasia Expo in Xinjiang Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
