Chen Maobo: Currently, over 100 enterprises from "Belt and Road" regions have been listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

On September 6, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po published a blog stating that more than 100 enterprises from countries along the "Belt and Road" initiative are currently listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with a total market capitalization exceeding HK$340 billion. Some state-owned infrastructure companies from Central Asia are also planning to list in Hong Kong. In terms of bond financing, as of July this year, there have been a total of 82 listed bonds issued in Hong Kong from "Belt and Road" regions, raising over HK$470 billion. In recent years, there has been a continuous issuance of offshore renminbi bonds (known as "dim sum bonds") by governments, public institutions, and enterprises from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East in Hong Kong. Paul Chan Mo-po introduced that in the past five years, the combined share of ASEAN, the Middle East, and Central Asia in Hong Kong's overall trade has risen to about 17%, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 10%. Since 2010, ASEAN has consistently been Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner. In terms of investment, Hong Kong's direct investment in ASEAN reached US$16.5 billion last year, an increase of nearly 1.4 times compared to five years ago, accounting for almost 7% of the total foreign direct investment in ASEAN. In commercial terms, the number of enterprises established in Hong Kong from ASEAN and the Middle East has surpassed 930, an increase of nearly 30% over five years ago. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council's survey also shows that the vast majority of mainland enterprises prioritize Hong Kong as their preferred overseas service platform when expanding into the "Belt and Road" market. The development of trade and capital markets requires corresponding institutional support. The proportion of renminbi in regional trade financing continues to rise, and Hong Kong, as the world's largest offshore renminbi hub, is providing stable support for the diversification of trade currencies in the region. With the strong support of the People's Bank of China, the total quota for Hong Kong's renminbi business funding arrangements has been further expanded to RMB 500 billion. Furthermore, the Bank of Indonesia has signed a memorandum with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the People's Bank of China to facilitate direct settlement in Indonesian rupiah and offshore renminbi between Indonesian enterprises and institutions in Hong Kong, significantly reducing exchange costs for enterprises. Paul Chan Mo-po expressed that Hong Kong hopes to further assist "Belt and Road" enterprises in exploring markets and reducing transaction costs, thereby unleashing growth potential in the region. Hong Kong has signed comprehensive double taxation avoidance agreements with 43 "Belt and Road" tax jurisdictions, while investment agreements and free trade agreements cover 20 and 14 economies, respectively. The "Overseas Service Task Force," established last year, has assisted more than 300 mainland enterprises in setting up or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong. The interconnection of systems, funding, and high-growth services enables regional connectivity and market integration to become quicker, more tangible, and more efficient. He continued to state that looking ahead, Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique advantages under "one country, two systems," from promoting hard connectivity projects, aligning rules through soft connectivity, to fostering closer relationships between people through mutual understanding, contributing practically to the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.