Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO), Ms Emily Mo, attended the "Reimagining the Future of Finance: Opportunities in Hong Kong and Asia for Canadian Companies" webinar on December 8 to update the Canadian business community on Hong Kong’s latest economic development and the city's competitiveness as an international financial centre, as well as its active role in national development and the abundant opportunities for Canadian businesses.
In her welcome remarks, Ms Mo shared with participants that Hong Kong's economy is back on track in 2021 and the city's real GDP expanded 7% year on year. "Our goods trade reached a record high of nearly USD 1 trillion in the same period, surpassing our previous high in 2018," she continued.
Ms Mo highlighted that Hong Kong’s business advantages have been reaffirmed by the international rankings and indices. “In September this year, the Global Financial Centres Index ranked Hong Kong the third place and the Fraser Institute once again crowned Hong Kong the world's freest economy. Last year, Hong Kong is also the third destination for foreign direct investment, and the second-largest destination worldwide for Canadian direct investment abroad flow," Ms Mo said.
Ms Mo added that the optimistic prospects for Hong Kong’s future are affirmed by China's National 14th Five-Year Plan, which supports Hong Kong’s further development as an international financial, transportation and trading centre, a global offshore Renminbi business hub, an international asset and risk management centre, as well as a green and sustainable finance hub.
Besides, the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area supports the expansion of mutual access between the financial markets of Hong Kong and the Mainland. "This year, the Southbound Trading under Bond Connect and the Greater Bay Area Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme were introduced. These schemes enabled customers in mainland China and Hong Kong to engage in cross-border investment in bond and wealth-management products," Ms Mo said.
Before closing, Ms Mo reiterated the opportunities offered by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and encouraged Canadian companies to seize the vast opportunities emerging in the markets of mainland China, Asia and beyond.
The webinar was co-organised by the HKETO, Invest Hong Kong, Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (HKCBA), Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Government of Canada. It was moderated by the President of HKCBA Edmonton Section Dr. William Wei, and featured a question-and-answer session in which panel speakers exchanged views with participants on topics including opportunities for Canada companies as well as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s policies and support for the business sectors.
香港經貿處處長向加拿大商界推廣金融和金融科技業的商機
香港駐多倫多經濟貿易辦事處（香港經貿處）處長巫菀菁於十二月八日出席「重塑未來金融業：加拿大公司在香港及亞洲的機遇」網上研討會，向加拿大商界介紹香港最新的經濟發展和及作為國際金融中心的競爭力，同時簡述香港在國家發展大局中的積極角色以及為加拿大企業提供的廣闊機遇。
巫菀菁在致歡迎辭時，向與會者分享香港的經濟在二Ｏ二一年已經重回正軌，香港的實質本地生產總值按年增長7%。巫菀菁續說：「我們的貨物貿易額在同期也創下新高達到接近 1 萬億美元，超過了二Ｏ一八年的高位。」
巫菀菁指出，香港的營商優勢再次被國際排名和指數肯定。巫菀菁表示：「今年九月，香港在《全球金融中心指數》報告中排名第三位，菲沙研究所亦再次把香港評為全球最自由的經濟體。香港在去年亦被列為全球第三大外來直接投資目的地，同時亦是加拿大對外直接投資流出的全球第二大首選地點。」
巫菀菁補充說，國家《十四五規劃綱要》支持香港繼續發展成為國際金融、航運及貿易中心、全球離岸人民幣業務樞紐、國際資產及風險管理中心，以及綠色和可持續的金融樞紐，這都確定了香港未來的光明前景。」
此外，粵港澳大灣區的發展擴大香港與內地金融市場的互聯互通。巫菀菁表示：「今年推出的債券通『南向通』及大灣區『跨境理財通』先後啟動，這些計劃讓中國內地和香港的客戶可以跨境投資債券和理財產品。」
最後，巫菀菁重申東南亞國家聯盟及《區域全面經濟夥伴協定》帶來的機遇，她鼓勵加拿大公司把握中國內地、亞洲及以外地區的市場帶來的龐大商機。」
網上研討會由香港經貿處、香港投資推廣署、港加商會、香港貿易發展局及加拿大聯邦政府合辦，由港加商會愛民頓分會會長William Wei博士主持，設有答問環節，由專題講者與與會者就有關加拿大企業的商機及香港特別行政區政府的政策和對商界的支援等議題交換意見。
