Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin

The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam (second right), attended an online dialogue session co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Berlin and HKETO Brussels, together with the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau (third right); the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing (first right); and the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui (fourth right).

The Chief Executive addressed European business community

Over 700 European entrepreneurs and business executives seized the opportunity and joined the “Direct Dialogue with Mrs Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of the HKSAR” on February 5, 2021 to learn about Hong Kong’s unique advantages for doing business and the excellent prospects for overseas companies to tap the vast market in Mainland China and Asia through Hong Kong.

Together with the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing and the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, discussed a broad spectrum of topics, including Hong Kong’s strategic location and unique advantages under the “One Country, Two Systems”, business opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), the resilient and robust financial sector, Hong Kong’s importance as a global aviation and logistics hub as well its educational excellence and, over and above this, the city’s move towards a green and carbon-neutral future. The event was held in collaboration with five business chambers from Germany, Belgium, Greece, Italy and the Netherlands, alongside with the support of 18 partner business associations across Europe.

The full version of the webinar can be viewed here.

Mrs Lam and the officials addressed wide-ranging questions from the participants during the session, covering topics such as the National Security Law (NSL), the strategy to combat COVID-19, cooperation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen in technology development, and the business prospects of the GBA. She pointed out that the enactment of the NSL enabled Hong Kong to return to stability and to remain one of the safest cities in the world. At the same time, the rights and freedoms are constitutionally protected under Hong Kong’s Basic Law. Moreover, the Chief Executive reassured the business community that all fundamentals of Hong Kong were safeguarded by the HKSAR Government, such as the capitalist system, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.

During the dialogue session, the Chief Executive emphasised Hong Kong’s bright prospects, especially in view of the development under the Belt and Road Initiative and the GBA. With a population of 17.2 million and an economy of 1.7 trillion US Dollar, the GBA is the wealthiest region within Mainland China. As Hong Kong continues to integrate into the national development, there will be ample opportunities for Hong Kong as well as European enterprises investing in the city.