Chen Yiting: The total amount of additional fundraising by Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed companies in the first eight months of this year has exceeded $24 billion.

On September 20, the 27th Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Seminar and Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference was successfully held in Beijing. The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Nicolas Aguzin, attended the event and delivered a speech at the Special Promotion Conference on Beijing-Hong Kong Financial Cooperation. Aguzin pointed out that as the preferred overseas financing platform for mainland enterprises, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange provides efficient financing services for all types of companies. Over the past 10 years, the total amount of funds raised in the Hong Kong new stock market has reached nearly 300 billion US dollars, leading the world in total fundraising amount. In addition to the new stock market, Hong Kong's refinancing mechanism is also very efficient and flexible. So far this year (up to the end of August 2024), the total amount of refinancing for listed companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has exceeded 24 billion US dollars. Aguzin stated that Hong Kong and Beijing are important economic and financial cooperation partners. Hong Kong is China's international financial center and the preferred overseas financing platform for mainland enterprises going global. Beijing is an important economic and technological center and a gathering place for large state-owned enterprises and high-quality technology startups. By joining hands, Beijing and Hong Kong can better serve the real economy, technological innovation, and the country's high-quality development. Aguzin also introduced how the Hong Kong Stock Exchange supports enterprise development through listing rule reforms. In 2023, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange included a new chapter (18C) specifically for special technology companies in the listing rules, providing financing convenience for some new and specialized technology companies that are not yet commercialized or are in the early stages of commercialization. This is in line with the national development strategy to support the growth of new and specialized technology companies. Starting this month, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has lowered the IPO threshold for special technology companies, providing greater flexibility for issuers and investors. This year also marks the tenth year of successful operation of the mutual market access mechanism between the mainland and Hong Kong capital markets. Aguzin stated that as a bridge for the two-way opening of China's capital markets, the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect are increasingly welcomed by domestic and foreign investors, with transaction volumes hitting new highs in recent years. With the support of regulatory authorities in both places, the mutual market access mechanism continues to expand and optimize. In July this year, the expansion of the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong ETF Connects was officially implemented. Currently, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges are actively preparing to include Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connects, introduce block trading mechanisms, and introduce RMB counters. It is hoped that these measures can be implemented soon to provide more investment options and convenience for domestic and foreign investors. Looking ahead, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (00388) is prepared to seize the long-term positive trend of the Chinese economy, continue to expand and optimize the mutual market access mechanism, constantly innovate products and services, support mainland enterprises in going global, and better play the role of Hong Kong as a gateway connecting China and the world.