Hong Kong Banking Association: Hong Kong has unique advantages in providing excellent overseas platform for small and medium enterprises.

A series of "Small and Medium Enterprises Transformation Forums" organized by the Hong Kong Association of Banks was held today (20th). The Hong Kong Association of Banks, along with Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), CITIC BANK, China Construction Bank Corporation (Asia), and Citibank, jointly organized the "SME Expo: Cross-border Vision Forum". This expo focuses on expanding cross-border business, aiming to help Hong Kong SMEs understand overseas market trends and grasp strategies for business growth overseas, attracting nearly 300 representatives from the local government, business, and financial sectors to participate. Amy Yip, Chair of the Hong Kong Association of Banks and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong, Greater China, and North Asia, said that as an international financial center, Hong Kong has unique advantages in providing an excellent platform for SMEs to expand overseas. Amy Yip mentioned that a survey conducted by the bank association this year shows that nearly half of the surveyed companies are undergoing upgrading and transformation. The industry has always worked closely with the government to create a stable environment for the development of SMEs. So far this year, the bank association, together with member banks, has organized over 100 seminars, workshops, and exchanges specifically for SMEs, helping them expand international cooperation and overseas business, seize growth opportunities in economic transformation through digitization, greenization, and internationalization, and achieve sustainable and long-term development. The results of the bank association's earlier "SME Upgrading and Transformation Survey" this year showed that nearly half of the surveyed companies are undergoing upgrading and transformation, with the main overseas markets being mainland China and ASEAN. In addition to financing, the help that surveyed companies most hope banks can provide includes cross-border banking and settlement services, consultancy or advisory support for upgrading and transformation, assistance in connecting SME circles and expanding networks, and providing digital banking tools and services to improve operational efficiency, which are the areas that the bank association and its member banks are actively cooperating or researching this year.