Paul Chan: Digital infrastructure financing must balance investment attractiveness and inclusivity.

GMTEightPP has learned that Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, speaking at the APEC Finance Ministers' and Business Advisory Council working luncheon, said that promoting digital infrastructure financing requires not only attracting capital but also enhancing the investment attractiveness of projects, ensuring services are affordable and benefit more communities. He proposed three directions, including creating a favorable investment environment, improving policy and regulatory transparency, and strengthening supporting facilities such as land, electricity, and networks; developing shared digital infrastructure and promoting public-private collaboration through shared platforms; and formulating suitable financing solutions tailored to different markets and project development stages. Paul Chan Mo-po mentioned that multilateral development banks can assist in assessing project feasibility and risk allocation, while mature projects with stable cash flows can be refinanced through listing and asset securitization. He stated that Hong Kong is willing to share experience with governments, enterprises, and multilateral development banks around the world to promote digital infrastructure development and inclusive growth. He cited the Hong Kong government's "iAM Smart" and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's "Commercial Data Interchange" as examples of shared digital infrastructure applications that help improve service efficiency and assist SMEs in financing.