A total of 18 world-renowned companies such as Baidu Intelligent Driving, Ideal Automobile, and Ant Digital Technology, as well as many foreign-funded companies such as Yishan Medical Technology (Singapore), Yingmai Medical Technology (USA), a total of 18 world-renowned companies have recently settled in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government introduced a total of 84 key enterprises in recent years. It is expected to invest about HK$50 billion in Hong Kong in the next few years, creating more than 20,000 jobs. Under the international economic situation where unilateralism and protectionism are rampant, achievements are hard-won.

Hong Kong has many advantages to attract investors, such as location advantages, R&D strength, professional services, etc., but the biggest advantage is that the free port status given to Hong Kong by the country.

Faced with the complex and changing world economic and trade situation, Hong Kong has unswervingly maintained its position as a free port, guaranteed the free flow of capital, goods, information and personnel, adhered to the simple and low tax system, and was committed to creating a vibrant innovation and science ecosystem, which gave global investors who were concerned about Hong Kong a reassurance. The 37th issue of the "Global Financial Center Index" report released by the China (Shenzhen) Institute of Comprehensive Development and the British think tank Z/Yen Group shows that Hong Kong ranks third in the world and ranks first in investment management, insurance industry and financing. The Hong Kong stock market's initial public offering financing amount in the first quarter of this year was HK$18.2 billion, an increase of 287% year-on-year, setting a new high since 2021.

Hong Kong's patience capital plays a role as a weather vane and stabilizer. The Hong Kong Investment Management Co., Ltd., established in 2022, is responsible for managing multiple funds such as the "Hong Kong Growth Portfolio", "Greater Bay Area Investment Fund", "Strategic Innovation and Technology Fund" and "Co-Investment Fund", with a total amount of HK$62 billion. The latest data shows that the company has invested in more than 100 projects, of which the funds invested in three categories of enterprises: hard technology, life technology, new energy and green technology account for 56%, 16%, and 11%, respectively, and the investment period is long-term. Every HKD investment in Hong Kong investment company can drive long-term investment in market funds of more than HKD 4. Hong Kong investment companies also have clear requirements for the invested companies to continue to contribute to the development of Hong Kong, such as the need for companies to set up offices in Hong Kong, cultivate and gather talents, establish R&D departments or venture capital business departments in Hong Kong, and give priority to Hong Kong as the listing place.

The grasp of the changes in the global industrial chain has given Hong Kong's long-term roadmap for investment promotion. The Hong Kong Fiscal Budget for 2024-2025 announced that the SAR government’s goal is to build Hong Kong into a transnational supply chain management center. The SAR Investment and Promotion Agency and the Trade Development Bureau are focusing on building a high-value-added supply chain service mechanism, attracting mainland enterprises to Hong Kong to establish international or regional headquarters for managing offshore trade and supply chains, and providing one-stop professional consulting services for Hong Kong enterprises. On April 15, London Metal Exchange, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing House Limited, approved the first batch of applications to establish an approved warehouse in Hong Kong, involving four warehouses. These commodity warehouses can provide safer, more convenient and cost-controllable delivery channels for metal transactions in the region, helping to attract related companies to settle in Hong Kong. At present, the Investment and Promotion Agency is organizing a number of activities with the theme of cross-border supply chains through the recruitment special group stationed in the Mainland offices to help more companies expand overseas.

Thousands of mills and thousands of blows are still strong, no matter how winds are east, west, south and north. Hong Kong is using its own practice to prove the huge tension of "one country, two systems", proving that the status of a free port is the result of the state's grant, its own struggle rather than the gift of outsiders, and proving that being strong and capable and courageous in taking responsibility is the way to govern from governance to prosperity. (Author: Liu Liang)