Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday he’ll promote the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” at the upcoming World Economic Forum annual meeting, as international business and political leaders have shown growing interest in the city’s financial services.
Writing in his weekly blog, Chan said he’ll leave for Davos, Switzerland, tomorrow to attend the five-day event, during which he will speak at keynote meetings, luncheons and dinners and take part in bilateral and roundtable meetings.
Besides leveraging the forum to present the special administrative region’s development strategies and initiatives to global political, business and financial leaders, the finance chief said he’ll emphasize the city’s role as a bridge connecting the Chinese mainland and global markets, and the high-value professional services it can offer.
“These attendees are eager to take the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the political and economic dynamics of Hong Kong and the (broader Asia-Pacific) region, as well as (our) perspectives on pressing international issues,” he said.
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Themed “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age”, the forum is expected to explore topics of rebuilding trust internationally and within societies, identifying new sources of growth, investing in human capital development, safeguarding the planet and transforming industries in the intelligent age.
Chan said, amid rising geopolitical tensions, it’s important for countries and regions to reflect on how to strengthen collaboration to seize development opportunities presented by innovation and technology while advancing green transformations to combat climate challenges.
In recent years, the mainland’s economy and development have become a focus at WEF meetings, with many of the side events centering on themes related to the mainland, which Chan said shows China’s growing prominence on the global stage.
Chan will be accompanied on the trip by representatives of Airport Authority Hong Kong, railway operator MTR Corporation and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.
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Chan also said the 18th Asian Financial Forum, which wrapped up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Jan 14, can also showcase the growing international interest in the SAR’s role as a platform for bringing together global capital, talent and information.
During the two-day event, about 3,600 political, finance and business leaders from more than 50 countries and regions exchanged ideas on sustainable development, artificial intelligence and other topics of worldwide interest. During project networking sessions, over 270 investors took part in more than 700 one-on-one meetings relating to 560 investment projects.
Representatives of financial institutions in Europe and the United States said Hong Kong’s role as a bridge connecting them to mainland and global markets is “unparalleled”, Chan said.
Participants from the Global South countries told the finance chief they want to leverage Hong Kong’s diverse financing services to support their own infrastructure development, green transitions and disaster risk management. They also sought to draw on the city’s expertise in professional services and enhance collaboration in talent training, with the aim of building up their own financial systems.
