Financial Secretary Paul Chan arrived in Paris, France yesterday at the beginning of a visit to Europe.

Upon arrival, he called on Chinese Ambassador to France Deng Li, with whom he held and exchange of views on China-France and China-Europe relations, as well as the latest developments in Hong Kong.

In the afternoon, Mr Chan visited the French Asset Management Association and met a number of representatives from the industry to discuss investment co-operation between France and Hong Kong.

A major professional body representing the French asset management industry, the association has about 400 members, including around 330 asset management companies. Together, they manage about 5 trillion euros, or 90% of assets under third-party management in France.

At the meeting, Mr Chan outlined that Hong Kong’s economy registered steady growth in 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, and that its financial system remains robust. He added that the International Monetary Fund and two major credit rating agencies recently gave positive assessments of Hong Kong’s economic and fiscal policies.

The Financial Secretary also stressed that Hong Kong’s stock market rose by 28% in 2025, and that its initial public offering fundraising was the highest globally, with a number of leading Mainland innovation and technology enterprises listing in Hong Kong.

He mentioned that Hong Kong’s asset management industry has reached nearly 3.9 trillion euros in scale, and there are now over 3,300 family offices, most of which manage assets exceeding US$50 million, demonstrating a thriving asset and wealth management ecosystem.

He added that the Greater Bay Area has a relatively affluent population of 87 million and a Gross Domestic Product of over 1.7 trillion euros, generating substantive demand for offshore asset allocation.

Mr Chan stated: “For French investors seeking both capital security and investment returns, Hong Kong is an ideal destination for asset diversification with its advantages under ‘one country, two systems’, including the free flow of capital and talent, a vibrant financial ecosystem, and capital markets connected to the Mainland and the world.”

He also commented that now is an opportune moment for French financial institutions to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to expand their asset and wealth management operations in Asia.

Mr Chan also visited a think tank, Asia Centre Paris, in the afternoon and met with a number of its board members.

The centre focuses on the study of geopolitical strategy, international relations and governance, and economic and social development dynamics. It is an important institution in France specialising in Asian strategy and geopolitical analysis.

At the meeting, Mr Chan briefed the board members on Hong Kong’s economic and social situation, as well as its priority areas for future development, and exchanged views with them on the international economic and trade landscape and China’s development.

Mr Chan remarked that the “one country, two systems” arrangement in Hong Kong will be upheld in the long run, and that Hong Kong is the best gateway for international capital to connect with opportunities in China.

He said he welcomed more exchanges between Asia Centre Paris and Hong Kong, in order to enhance in-depth mutual understanding between the two places and allow the financial and business sectors of both sides to explore more opportunities for co-operation.