Mainland Enterprises Partnership Exchange and Interface Session returns to help Hong Kong professional services seize Belt and Road opportunities (with photos)
31.7.2023

The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) in conjunction with the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association (HKCEA) organised today (July 31) the Mainland Enterprises Partnership Exchange and Interface Session to promote closer connection of both state-owned enterprises (SoEs) and Mainland enterprises in Hong Kong with local professional services providers for seizing opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI), thereby giving full play to Hong Kong's role as the prime platform for the B&RI. Upon the resumption of normalcy, this exchange and interface session has returned with more than 170 participants from Mainland and Hong Kong enterprises as well as the professional services sector covering investment and financing, green finance, insurance, architectural and engineering design, accounting, legal and consultancy services, etc. More than 80 Hong Kong enterprises and professional services providers attended today's session. Over 140 one-on-one business matching sessions were arranged with representatives from 13 SoEs and Mainland enterprises. The session was well received, with the number of SoEs and Mainland enterprises participating in business matchings nearly doubled as compared with the first edition. The number of participating Hong Kong enterprises and professional services providers is also more than twice of that of last time. The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, and the Chairman of the HKCEA, Mr Miao Jianmin, spoke at the opening session. Mr Yau underlined the SoEs as an important force in driving the B&RI, which have undertaken more than 3 000 Belt and Road projects so far. He pointed out that Hong Kong's diversified and comprehensive professional services fully demonstrate the unique advantages under "one country, two systems", making the city the premier professional services platform for SoEs and Mainland enterprises in taking forward Belt and Road projects. Mr Yau highlighted the CEDB's efforts in assisting different sectors in Hong Kong to partner with Mainland enterprises in going global together. Noting that SoEs will take on board more "small and beautiful" projects which will seek to be high-standard, sustainable and beneficial to people's livelihood, Mr Yau indicated that such projects will be fitting for the Hong Kong professional services ecosystem, in which small and medium enterprises are the majority. He said he believed that the professional services sector of Hong Kong will be provided henceforth with more opportunities to participate in the B&RI. Mr Yau also expressed his gratitude to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) and other participating parties for their continued support to Hong Kong's work in taking forward the B&RI. He stated that the SASAC has been a staunch collaborator of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. It has expressed continued and full support for SoEs to work with Hong Kong in opening up new room for development in the context of quality co-operation of the B&RI, so as to jointly enhance the level of collaboration, achieve higher cost-effectiveness, as well as raising quality and resilience. In this regard, the HKSAR Government will take forward relevant work in full swing, with a view to better integrating Hong Kong into national development and at the same time leveraging the competitive edges of Hong Kong's professional services.