Financial Secretary of Hong Kong Paul Chan begins his visit to Qatar, promoting Hong Kong's advantages and deepening cooperation between the two places.

Doha time September 27, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po arrived in Doha, Qatar, beginning his local visit. He met separately with Zou Jiayi, President and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Qatar's Minister of Finance H.E. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, and multiple political, business, financial, investment, and corporate figures from the country to exchange views on deepening cooperation. When meeting with Zou Jiayi, Paul Chan Mo-po held in-depth discussions on deepening bilateral cooperation, promoting regional infrastructure development and sustainable development, and making better use of Hong Kong's financial markets, professional services, and talent advantages. Paul Chan Mo-po welcomed the AIIB to establish an office in Hong Kong and expressed hope that bilateral cooperation could expand into areas such as catastrophe bond issuance, green and transition finance, technological innovation, and talent training. When meeting with Qatar's Minister of Finance H.E. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Paul Chan Mo-po discussed the international political, economic, and financial situation, the economic development policies of both places, and directions for strengthening bilateral cooperation. He said that the Middle East region is actively promoting economic structural diversification and, under the current geopolitical situation, diversified asset allocation, bringing new opportunities for Hong Kong and Qatar to expand cooperation. As an important functional platform for jointly building the "Belt and Road," Hong Kong can leverage its advantages in finance, trade, infrastructure development, innovation and technology development, and professional services to complement Qatar's development needs and promote capital flow, two-way investment, and enterprise and industrial cooperation between the two places. Paul Chan Mo-po subsequently met with representatives of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce, attending with business leaders from various local sectors including finance, insurance, trade, energy, and shipping, and the two sides conducted in-depth exchanges. He introduced Hong Kong's unique advantages under "one country, two systems" as a two-way platform connecting the mainland and the world. He pointed out that Hong Kong, on the one hand, is backed by the motherland, allowing international enterprises to conveniently and even preferentially enter the vast mainland China market; on the other hand, it continues to implement the common law system, maintain free flow of capital and free port status, and align its business rules with international standards, providing enterprises with a safe, familiar, and friendly business environment. He also introduced the opportunities brought by the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Northern Metropolis, especially the development layout of "finance in the south, innovation and technology in the north," and welcomed Qatari enterprises and investors to participate in the construction of the Northern Metropolis and jointly explore business opportunities in the innovation and technology industry. Paul Chan Mo-po said the two sides could organize mutual visits by business delegations and explore institutional cooperation in areas such as commerce and investment. He said Hong Kong is willing to explore establishing mutual recognition arrangements with the Qatar Stock Exchange to facilitate Qatari enterprises interested in expanding business in China and the Asia-Pacific region to pursue dual listings in Hong Kong, making good use of Hong Kong's international financing platform to attract international and mainland capital and support business development. Paul Chan Mo-po also met separately with Mohammed Al-Abdulla, Chief Executive Officer of Doha Venture Capital, and Niall Byrne, Chief Financial Officer of the Qatar Investment Authority, and Ken McLaren, Executive Director of Investments, to discuss strengthening two-way investment and industrial cooperation. In addition, Paul Chan Mo-po also met separately with the heads of Lesha Bank Group and Al Asmakh Group Holding, introducing Hong Kong's economic, financial, trade, and innovation and technology development to them, and encouraging them to establish a presence in Hong Kong, expand business, and invest in the innovation and technology industry.