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Strengthening Ties to Forge the Future

Late tonight, I will depart for Paris, Brussels and Zurich. My first stop will be Paris, where I will attend the “No Money for Terror” Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing. Thereafter, I will join representatives from more than 80 countries and regions to discuss ways to enhance co-operation, demonstrating Hong Kong’s commitment in this area as an international financial centre. I will also meet representatives of leading European financial institutions, private equity and venture capital funds, as well as family office principals in these cities, with a view to deepening partnerships and attracting investment.

Strengthening international engagement through direct, face-to-face dialogue enables us to answer questions and address concerns in person. This helps the overseas business and financial communities gain a fuller understanding of Hong Kong’s current situation and development trajectory, as well as its strategic value for those seeking to expand their business in China and across Asia.

Several years ago, Hong Kong, China became the first jurisdiction in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve overall compliance in the fourth-round mutual evaluation conducted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. This recognition by the FATF, an organisation established under the auspices of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has provided a solid foundation for Hong Kong to strengthen its voice and influence in discussions in this field.

Last week’s summit between the leaders of China and the United States, and the forthcoming visit of the President of Russia to China, have sent positive signals for the evolving international landscape. At a time of geopolitical turbulence, such high-level dialogue can inject much-needed stability into the global order and create a more favourable environment for Hong Kong to strengthen its external connections.

Speaking at the 30th Anniversary Dinner of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) last week.

Recent objective recognition by a range of international bodies also points to growing international awareness of Hong Kong’s latest developments and future potential. The International Monetary Fund, in its latest report, reaffirmed Hong Kong’s role as an international financial centre and a “super connector”, and noted that policy initiatives, including the development of the Northern Metropolis, would support innovation and high-value services, thereby fostering economic growth and structural transformation. Moody’s and Fitch have also recently reaffirmed Hong Kong’s credit ratings with “stable” outlooks.

These assessments not only affirm Hong Kong’s sound economic fundamentals, positive outlook and robust public finances, but also show that proactive and sustained engagement helps international institutions gain a fuller understanding of the city’s latest conditions, development direction and opportunities. Their evaluations provide a valuable reference for global investors and the business and financial community, and will help attract more long-term international capital to Hong Kong.

Recent market developments have further affirmed the appeal of Hong Kong’s business environment and economic prospects. More institutions are setting up or expanding their operations in Hong Kong — hiring additional staff, increasing their office space, and launching innovative services and products. A survey conducted earlier by the Hong Kong Academy of Finance found that financial institutions, industry associations, family office principals and market practitioners regard Hong Kong’s well-developed regulatory framework, mature financial markets, competitive tax regime and free flow of capital as the key foundations of their confidence in the city.

From a macro perspective, the country is making vigorous efforts to cultivate new quality productive forces, accelerate the development of strategic emerging industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and biomedicine, and take a forward-looking approach to planning for future industries. Leveraging its strengths in "finance+, trade+, scientific research+ and AI+”, Hong Kong is actively aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan and further integrating into the overall development of the country. In this process, Hong Kong will continue to perform its dual role as an international gateway and an efficient exchange platform for innovation and technology (I&T) development in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), thereby further unleashing its own development potential.

Attending the 30th Hong Kong Medical Forum last week.

Over the past two weeks, I attended a series of seminars organised by university business and medical schools, as well as think tanks. These exchanges offered valuable first-hand insights into how “AI+” is bringing together professional talent and creating new business opportunities. From medical innovation to financial technology, and from academic research to real-world applications, Hong Kong is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for leading talent to gather, exchange ideas and pursue cross-sector collaboration. The interaction between talent and capital, powered by the combined strengths of “AI+” and “Finance+”, is generating a virtuous cycle and opening up new business and investment opportunities. Through my visit to Europe this week, I hope to present Hong Kong’s vibrant I&T and financial ecosystem, together with its deep talent pool, to international investors, and help turn these strengths into tangible opportunities.

Our dedicated efforts to strengthen external ties are aimed at helping the international community better understand and have greater confidence in Hong Kong’s openness, stability and development prospects. We are pressing ahead at full speed to consolidate and enhance our strengths, open up new horizons for Hong Kong’s development amid a changing global landscape, and contribute to the overall development of the country. As international capital converges with Hong Kong’s development momentum and connects with frontier innovation in the Greater Bay Area, the resulting synergy will enable Hong Kong to make its unique contribution to shared global prosperity in the years ahead.

May 17, 2026