Hong Kong’s ‘superconnector’ role deepens as China–GCC trade hits US$288 billion

Hong Kong’s positioning draws strength from concrete demand in the Gulf. At the summit, representatives from Oman’s sovereign wealth sector pointed to a rising pipeline spanning healthcare, biotech and technology, with more than US$2 billion already deployed across Greater China. China is Oman’s largest trading partner, and bilateral trade reached about US$36.7 billion last year, underscoring how energy and high-tech goods anchor flows while investment broadens into new industries. For Hong Kong, those dynamics translate into mandates for fund-raising, listings support, due diligence and cross-border tax and legal structuring.

The “superconnector” label now hinges on service depth as much as geography. Airlines, shippers and logistics providers link Hong Kong to Gulf gateways, but the city’s professional services and financial market infrastructure are the differentiators that help projects move from memorandum to execution. As China–GCC trade expands beyond hydrocarbons into green transition technologies and advanced manufacturing, Hong Kong’s banks and advisers are courting issuers and sponsors for bond placements, private equity co-investments and risk-transfer solutions tied to large, multi-year projects.

Sustainability will depend on consistent policy follow-through and tangible successes that compound. If Hong Kong can keep bringing counterparties together, reduce frictions around standards and disclosure, and channel Gulf capital into bankable opportunities in mainland China and across Asia, the “superconnector” role becomes less a slogan and more a measurable export. With headline China–GCC trade already at scale, the next leg of growth will likely be defined by execution quality in finance, logistics and governance rather than by raw volume alone.