The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government warmly welcomes new measures to deepen market co-operation and co-ordinated development between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

The series of new measures, announced today by the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the Securities & Futures Commission, aim to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre.

Chief Executive John Lee said the measures will support enterprise development and cross-boundary financing. They will also promote market connectivity by deepening co-operation in indices, futures and exchange traded funds (ETFs).

“Under ‘One Country, Two Systems’, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantage of having strong support from the motherland while being closely connected to the world,” he said. “As an important bridge in our country’s financial system, Hong Kong will continue to leverage its role in ‘bringing in and going global’, better integrating into and serving the overall development of our country,” Mr Lee added.

“Hong Kong is proactively aligning with the National 15th Five Year Plan and is working at full speed to formulate our first five-year plan, fostering high quality market development by promoting renminbi internationalisation and cross-boundary capital flows.

“I sincerely thank the Central People’s Government and relevant authorities for their staunch support for Hong Kong all along. The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong’s financial markets to consolidate and elevate Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, while serving our country’s high-quality financial opening-up and contributing to the long-term development of our country's financial markets.”

Financial Secretary Paul Chan noted that the 10 new measures span cross-boundary listings, ETFs, index co-operation, RMB-denominated futures products, streamlined applications for Mainland professional qualifications and strengthened regulatory co-operation.

“They will facilitate Mainland and overseas investors to seize the enormous investment opportunities arising from our country’s steady and high-quality economic development and the building of a modern industrial system, while at the same time consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s function as a hub connecting the Mainland market and global capital.

“These measures will further promote the coordinated development of the two capital markets on a more open, resilient and efficient basis,” he added.

The Hong Kong SAR Government said that it will work with regulators to facilitate the implementation of the measures.