Financial Secretary of Hong Kong: Currently, there are 102 key enterprises that have established operations in Hong Kong, and it is estimated that they will bring approximately HK$60 billion in investment in the coming years.

On February 4th, the Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of Hong Kong, Mr. Joseph Lai, stated in response to legislators' questions that 102 key enterprises have already established themselves in Hong Kong. It is estimated that in the coming years, they will bring about an investment of approximately 60 billion Hong Kong dollars, creating around 22,000 jobs and injecting new vitality into the city. Many of these key enterprises have a market value or valuation exceeding 100 billion Hong Kong dollars and possess cutting-edge industry technology. By setting up in Hong Kong, they can help drive the growth of their upstream, midstream, and downstream companies, accelerate industrial development, promote the upgrading and transformation of traditional manufacturing industries, expand the local industrial ecosystem in Hong Kong, and create more high-quality job opportunities. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office actively introduces key enterprises, with a focus on five strategic industries: life and health sciences, artificial intelligence and data science, financial technology, advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, and cultural and creative industries. These enterprises, which are globally representative with high growth potential, can bring diversified and high-quality jobs to Hong Kong. The industries related to these enterprises have a wide range of talent needs, covering areas such as scientific research, artificial intelligence, data analysis, cybersecurity, medical health, environmental protection technology, creative industries, operations management, law, accounting, and business development. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will assess the interim employment results of enterprises in the city in April 2025 based on the progress of their establishment. At that time, the total number of employees was about 4,000, with the latest data still being updated. Some enterprises are still in the process of setting up in Hong Kong, building teams, and starting their operations, so the size of their workforce will gradually increase as their business grows. The actual operational situation and recruitment progress of enterprises may vary due to industry characteristics, research and development cycles, and market deployment. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office has been closely monitoring the progress of enterprises' establishment in Hong Kong and their talent needs, providing tailored support measures in collaboration with innovation and technology parks, universities and research institutions, chambers of commerce, and professional associations, to accelerate the research and development and operation of enterprises in Hong Kong. In 2018, the Hong Kong government formulated its first "Talent List" to attract high-quality talents from different industries and professional fields more effectively and strategically. Currently, qualified talents engaged in professions listed on the "Talent List," who come to Hong Kong through the "General Employment Policy," "Admission of Mainland Talents Scheme," or "Quality Migrant Admission Scheme," can enjoy entry facilitation. During the latest update of the "Talent List" on March 1, 2025, after careful examination and consultation with industry organizations, major chambers of commerce, the Manpower Planning Commission, and the Labour Advisory Board, the government added industries related to promoting the "Eight Major Centers," expanding the list from 51 to 60 professions. During the review of the "Talent List," the Hong Kong government considered whether the professions listed were difficult to find in the local job market and whether the required talents could not be cultivated at the right time through local training. Since the update, there has been an increase of about 1,800 approved applications under the "Talent List" by the end of 2025, a rise of approximately 110%, with the majority falling under the employment-linked "General Employment Policy" and "Admission of Mainland Talents Scheme," indicating that the "Talent List" can respond to the labor needs of the local market in Hong Kong, alleviating the shortage of professional manpower. The Hong Kong government will continue to monitor changes in labor demand and periodically review the "Talent List" to ensure that talent introduction aligns with the direction of industrial development, thereby providing more effective support for enterprise establishment and expansion, creating a more diverse and high-quality job market in Hong Kong. As of the end of January 2026, among the 102 key enterprises that have established themselves in Hong Kong, over 50% are listed companies, and 12% are preparing for listing. Additionally, 75% of the key enterprises have chosen to set up global or regional headquarters in Hong Kong, while around 90% have established or are in the process of establishing research and development centers locally. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will continue to support enterprises in setting up research and development centers in Hong Kong, attract research talents from both domestic and international sources, enhance innovation capabilities, assist listed and potential listed companies in utilizing the Hong Kong financial platform to attract overseas investments, promote the establishment of benchmark projects in Hong Kong that align with international standards and expand into global and Belt and Road markets, facilitate the establishment of financial centers by enterprises to facilitate cross-border funds and foreign exchange management, and pair suitable projects during the initial establishment phase to accelerate the landing and industrialization process. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office has always maintained close communication with enterprises, continuously monitoring their actual operational situations in Hong Kong based on their progress of establishment and business deployment. Due to the different industry characteristics, research and development cycles, and time of establishment of each enterprise, the operational mode and facility construction in Hong Kong will gradually evolve according to their own strategies. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will maintain contact with enterprises and update relevant information in a timely manner to keep abreast of their latest operational situations. The Hong Kong government regards the extensive networks accumulated by the business sector in Mainland China and overseas as an important force in promoting enterprise establishment. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office has always adopted a multi-pronged strategy, strengthening cooperation with the business sector and stakeholders to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of investment promotion. In 2025, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office conducted over 40 investment promotion and market promotion activities, over 10 activities to support enterprise landing and operation activities, over 10 business opportunities and fund matchmaking activities, about 20 cross-border exchanges and delegation visits, as well as various talent and industry-related thematic activities with the business sector and different stakeholders. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office maintains regular communication with major business chambers, industry associations, professional service organizations, and leading enterprises, grasping the business layout, industry trends, and investment intentions of enterprises in Mainland China and overseas through seminars, special briefings, and two-way communication mechanisms. Moreover, through forums, thematic activities, and exchange platforms, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office keeps close contact with the business sector, the research community, and professional bodies to understand the latest industry developments and the actual needs of enterprises from multiple perspectives, enhancing its understanding of the industrial ecosystem. Additionally, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office cooperates with different stakeholders in participating in exchange activities, including industrial forums and business exchanges, visiting provincial and municipal governments, parks, and research institutions in Mainland China to promote cross-border industrial cooperation. These efforts help the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office more effectively reach out to enterprises with development potential, improving the efficiency of investment promotion. In the future, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will continue to cooperate with the business sector, enhance information sharing in the industry, and promote cross-border industrial chain collaboration to attract more strategically valuable enterprises to settle in Hong Kong, strengthening the local industrial ecosystem. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office has been actively assisting key enterprises in integrating into the supply chain and application scenarios of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, seizing the opportunities presented in the "14th Five-Year Plan." In this process, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will play an active role in introducing globally influential enterprises, promoting their expansion into the Mainland market from Hong Kong as a base, facilitating research cooperation and industrial establishment, helping enterprises locate manufacturing, research and development, testing, demonstration, and commercialization scenarios in the Greater Bay Area, and extending the industrial chain from the production end to the high-end of the value chain. Leveraging Hong Kong's advantages in professional services, logistics and shipping, financial platforms, intellectual property rights, and compliance management, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will assist enterprises in establishing supply chain management, cross-border settlements, financing arrangements, and market expansion functions in the Greater Bay Area to enhance their operational efficiency within the region. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office actively promotes cooperation between enterprises and research institutions, parks, and universities in the Greater Bay Area, supporting joint research, test demonstrations, and results transformation within the area, strengthening innovation chains and industry chains synergy. For instance, in the life and health sciences industry, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office successfully introduced a medical technology enterprise from Southeast Asia to establish itself in the Hong Kong Science Park, setting up a research and development center to attract local research talents to engage in future innovative research activities. The enterprise has swiftly expanded and established a presence in the Qianhai area of Shenzhen to manage the supply chain of its products in the Greater Bay Area, fully reflecting the complementary advantages of Hong Kong and cities in the Greater Bay Area in industrial cooperation. Looking ahead, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office will deepen cooperation with other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, promote the flow of innovative elements and industrial synergy, and use successful cases in Hong Kong to assist enterprises in expanding into global and Belt and Road markets.