Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau today promoted Hong Kong’s advantages to Mainland enterprises as he attended the Seventh Western China International Fair for Investment & Trade in Chongqing.

Organised by the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government, the fair is an important platform for trade co-operation and investment promotion in the western region of the country.

Hong Kong is the “guest city of honour” at this year’s fair and has a pavilion at it promoting the city’s strengths and showcase its role as a premium trade and business platform for Mainland enterprises to go global. A service industry event was also held to foster co-operation with Chongqing.

Addressing the fair’s opening ceremony, Mr Yau said that Chongqing and Hong Kong have long enjoyed close ties, playing unique roles in the nation’s development, with Chongqing being an important link between the Belt & Road, the Yangtze River Economic Belt and highly “opened-up” inland areas.

As regards Hong Kong, he outlined that the city possesses the unique advantages of enjoying strong support nationally while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the wider world, adding that it is the country’s southern gateway and a key platform connecting the Greater Bay Area with international markets.

Since the establishment of a Hong Kong/Chongqing co-operation conference mechanism in 2023, Mr Yau added, both places have been pursuing co-operation on different fronts, leveraging their complementarity to achieve mutual benefits and contribute jointly to the country’s high-quality development and create unlimited opportunities for enterprises.

The commerce chief emphasised that Hong Kong is the connecting platform under the national dual circulation strategy, serving as “super connector” and “super value-adder”, and functioning as a springboard for Mainland enterprises to go global whilst also attracting overseas enterprises. He said he looked forward to more Chongqing enterprises coming to Hong Kong.

Mr Yau then toured the Hong Kong Pavilion, which covers 600 sq. m and showcases Hong Kong’s strengths in areas such as finance, shipping and innovation and technology, as well as the achievements of its co-operation with Chongqing.

Speaking at another function jointly organised by the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau and the Trade Development Council, Mr Yau remarked that Hong Kong has a mature modern service industry system while Chongqing is a major economic centre in the western region with a strong manufacturing base that enjoys strong complementarity with Hong Kong.

Highlighting that the two places present enormous potential for co-operation in the services sector, he said Hong Kong can provide solid support for Chongqing in the development of modern services while Chongqing’s sizeable market and industrial base also offer extensive opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises.