The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is set to encourage more mainland banks to set up regional headquarters in the city, while the local bourse operator plans to enhance the listing regime, as the government aims to fortify Hong Kong’s position as an international financial centre, according to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.
Invest in Gold
In his policy address on Wednesday, Lee also said the government planned to issue more RMB bonds and was considering using renminbi to settle government expenditures under “suitable circumstances”.
He also said authorities would introduce more tax incentives to strengthen the family office and wealth management sectors, alongside measures to support gold and yuan trading in the city.
Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.
Lee said banks establishing regional headquarters in Hong Kong could leverage their presence in the city to expand into markets like Southeast Asia and the Middle East, providing comprehensive cross-border financial solutions.
“We will actively invite the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to set up an office in Hong Kong,” Lee said. Established a decade ago, Beijing-headquartered AIIB serves as China’s alternative to the World Bank.
(Left to right): Clara Chan Ka-chai, CEO of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation; Paul Chan Mo-po, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong; and Huang Tiejun, chairman of the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, during the inaugural AI Global Talents Connect initiative in Hong Kong on August 26, 2025. Photo: Xinmei Shen alt=(Left to right): Clara Chan Ka-chai, CEO of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation; Paul Chan Mo-po, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong; and Huang Tiejun, chairman of the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, during the inaugural AI Global Talents Connect initiative in Hong Kong on August 26, 2025. Photo: Xinmei Shen>
The government has earmarked funds to help universities attract top talent researchers and spur innovation and development, similar to the so-called “patient capital” deployed for the long term by the Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC), a government-owned fund.
The policy address “underscored the strategic role of HKIC in [the city’s] economic development,” said Oliver Weisberg, CEO of Blue Pool Capital, a Hong Kong-based investment manager and the family office of Alibaba Group Holding’s chairman, Joe Tsai.
