Financial Secretary Paul Chan attended meetings with business and finance leaders in New York yesterday, the second day of a visit to the US.

Mr Chan spoke at a lunch jointly hosted by the National Committee on United States–China Relations and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in New York, and attended by over a dozen prominent leaders from the US financial, investment, pharmaceutical, creative and think tank sectors.

He briefed participants on the latest developments in Hong Kong’s economy, highlighting the city’s strategies to support the financial market, innovation and technology, overall development and regional supply chain connectivity.

The finance chief also elaborated on Hong Kong’s proactive efforts to attract enterprises, global talent and investment, develop the Northern Metropolis, and foster industrial collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Mr Chan encouraged US enterprises and professionals to pursue opportunities in the city and to leverage Hong Kong as a gateway to access the Chinese Mainland and Asian markets more broadly.

He iterated that the “one country, two systems” principle is an arrangement for the long term, adding that Hong Kong’s core strengths – including its status as a free port, its adherence to the common law and the rule of law, and its openness, diversity and high level of internationalisation – remain unchanged.

In response to questions, Mr Chan said that despite recent signs of escalating trade tensions, Hong Kong would firmly uphold its status as a free port and continue to implement free, open and predictable trade policies and practices.

He also participated in a roundtable discussion with key US fund and asset management representatives, and presented Hong Kong’s economic and financial outlook to them.

The Financial Secretary focused on opportunities in the financial market, including initial public offerings and follow-on offerings, the city’s fixed income and currency markets, and its private equity, asset and wealth management sectors, as well as opportunities in green finance, stablecoins and digital assets.

He highlighted that Hong Kong’s asset markets are showing encouraging momentum, with the stock market undergoing a significant upturn driven by investors’ confidence in the Chinese Mainland’s technological development and increased capital allocations.

Meanwhile, the residential property market is showing signs of stabilisation. Mr Chan emphasised that as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” between the Chinese Mainland and the world, Hong Kong will continue to offer attractive investment opportunities for investors from the US and around the globe.

In addition, Mr Chan visited the United Nations (UN) and met the Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China to the UN, Ambassador Fu Cong. Mr Chan expressed his gratitude for the strong support that the central government has consistently provided to Hong Kong across various domains.

In particular, he mentioned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ efforts in facilitating the participation of young Hong Kong civil servants in the UN Junior Professional Officer Programme, which allows them to work within the UN system as Chinese nationals. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to nominate and support young civil servants for participation in such programmes, he added.

Mr Chan also paid a courtesy call on the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in New York, Ambassador Chen Li. They exchanged views on China-US relations, Hong Kong’s development, and related topics.

In the morning, the Financial Secretary hosted a breakfast meeting with a group of young professionals working at the UN. Hailing from ten countries and regions, they shared their experiences of working at the organisation.