Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is visiting the United States (October 22-24), where he delivered keynote speeches at the Bloomberg Global Regulatory Forum on the topic of financial sustainability (October 22) and at a business luncheon (October 23) in New York.

At the Bloomberg Global Regulatory Forum, Mr Chan highlighted how Hong Kong's robust regulatory regime and international connectivity can play a role in building a future-proof financial system for long-term sustainability.

Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, speaks at the Bloomberg Global Regulatory Forum in New York.

"Our strong fundamentals continue to be internationally recognised. Hong Kong ranks once again among the top three global financial centres, behind only New York and London," Mr Chan said, adding that Canada's Fraser Institute has again ranked Hong Kong the world's freest economy.

These commendations are echoed by the global investor community, said Mr Chan. "Total banking deposits in Hong Kong, for example, have grown 5%, or US$100 billion, this year to date, reaching more than US$2 trillion. Our asset-and-wealth-management sector is also growing. We are managing over US$4 trillion in assets, and over half of that value was sourced from investors outside Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland."

Under "one country, two systems", Mr Chan said international investors could be confident in Hong Kong's future, thanks to advantages including the common law tradition; a judiciary that exercises powers independently; the free flow of goods, capital, talent and information; a currency pegged to the US dollar and business practices that align with the best international standards.

Hong Kong ranked as the world's freest economy by Fraser Institute.

Elaborating on the dual mandate of Hong Kong's financial regulators as both regulators and market enablers, Mr Chan said: "This requires the regime to respond to market and economic changes, embrace and empower technological innovation, and create the conditions for markets to thrive."

Noting that innovation was reshaping the future of finance, Mr Chan shared two key development directions for Hong Kong: continuing to deepen the Connect Schemes between Hong Kong and Mainland China and strengthen the links and regulatory co-operation with Mainland and global capital markets; and embracing innovation, which includes enabling the responsible and sustainable development of digital assets.

Mr Chan added that Hong Kong was strengthening connections with other markets in ASEAN, the Middle East and the Belt and Road countries.

The Financial Secretary also attended a luncheon co-hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade office in New York and the Hong Kong Association of New York (October 23). He told attendees from businesses, institutions, chambers of commerce and think tanks that Hong Kong would continue to play its unique role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder", linking capital markets and investors of Mainland China and the global community to create value and opportunities for all.

He also introduced Hong Kong's latest development strategies, particularly new initiatives in key areas such as finance and innovation and technology, attracting businesses and talent, and the increasingly close co-operation and collaborative developments with sister cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

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