none
Chief Executive CY Leung
The Belt & Road Initiative spans more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. It aims to strengthen co-operation on policy, economic and cultural fronts, and to foster mutually rewarding progress among Belt & Road countries.
The Initiative offers unprecedented opportunities to all territories, Hong Kong included. With the combined advantages of "one country" and "two systems", Hong Kong can serve as a "super-connector" between the Mainland of China and the rest of the world. In areas such as finance, investment, professional services, trade, logistics, culture, creativity, innovation and technology, Hong Kong's unique "super-connector" role can bring together the strengths of Belt & Road economies.
The National 13th Five-Year Plan of China clearly supports Hong Kong and Macau leveraging our unique advantages to enhance our roles and functions in the country's economic development and opening up to other countries, including the Belt & Road Initiative.
As China's international financial centre and the world's China financial capital, Hong Kong is well positioned to meet the growing demand for financial services, including offshore Renminbi services, in Belt & Road regions.
Capitalising strengths
For infrastructure projects, Hong Kong can provide capital, financial channels, asset management, insurance and re-insurance services, contract management, dispute resolution, legal and other professional services. Our endeavour to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a non-sovereign territory will further enhance Hong Kong's role in the financing of Belt & Road infrastructure projects. With first-rate telecommunications, Hong Kong can provide information services to Mainland Chinese enterprises wishing to expand business overseas.
Hong Kong's professional services are world-class. Our professionals in accounting, legal, dispute resolution, risk assessment, engineering, consulting, project management and many other services are highly regarded for their professional ethics, competence and global outlook.
Entering a new business environment, investing in large projects, avoiding and resolving commercial disputes, handling negotiations, establishing business models or dealing with property rights and investment protection - you will find that our Hong Kong professionals are ideal service providers for enterprises from both China and Belt & Road regions.
We are also known for our strengths in transportation and logistics services, and are well placed to develop high-end maritime services and tourism. Trade and investment ties with Belt & Road countries are fast expanding.
The Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government is actively working with our trading partners to conclude free trade agreements, investment promotion and protection agreements, and avoidance of double taxation agreements. We propose partnering with Mainland Chinese enterprises, especially those from neighbouring provinces and regions, to establish and grow trade and commercial relations with Belt & Road countries.
Building bonds
Beyond economic relations, Hong Kong looks forward to developing broader and closer people-to-people bonds along the Belt & Road. Our world-class universities, together with the use of English as a teaching language, are a big draw for overseas students. We welcome and encourage cultural exchanges and interaction between our young people through scholarships and exchange programmes.
Hong Kong is also home to a large number of community organisations such as trade associations, youth groups, think tanks and other non-government organisations. We also have strong links to overseas Chinese communities. Apart from government-to-government exchanges, we will encourage such organisations in Hong Kong to reach out to Belt & Road counterparts through visits, promotional events, seminars and forums.
The Belt & Road Initiative is a vast project - in scope, scale and diversity. As such, the Hong Kong SAR Government is setting up a dedicated Belt & Road office to push forward our plans. We will work closely with the Central Authorities of China and our Belt & Road partners to ensure effective co-ordination of policies and measures, to identify areas of collaboration, and to facilitate timely exchange of information for our common good.
Chief Executive CY Leung gave these remarks at the Belt & Road Summit on May 18.
