Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu underscored the city's commitment to fostering multilateral cooperation and sharing the benefits of global stability and growth at the Ninth World Finance Forum Annual Conference and Dialogue of Continents 2026 High-Level Seminar on Thursday.
In a video address, Lee acknowledged the global economic challenges posed by geopolitical conflicts, energy crises, and supply chain restructuring. However, he expressed confidence that these challenges would not alter the overall trajectory of human development and progress.
Lee highlighted Hong Kong's position as the world's third-largest and Asia's largest international financial center, citing the city's robust banking capital, liquidity, and reliable linked exchange rate system. By the end of 2024, Hong Kong's assets under management had reached HK$35 trillion ($4.47 trillion), with an inflow of over HK$350 billion in authorized funds last year, more than doubling year-on-year — a testament to investor confidence.
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The chief executive emphasized Hong Kong's efforts to consolidate its traditional financial strengths while exploring new areas such as gold trading, commodity trading, and fintech. Under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong provides a stable platform for international investors, supported by strong financial infrastructure and legal systems that connect both domestically and internationally.
Lee also highlighted the endorsement of Hong Kong's status as an international financial center in the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). By leveraging its unique position as a city "backed by the motherland and connected to the world", Hong Kong is set to enhance its standing as a leading global financial hub.
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Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu detailed Hong Kong's focus on practical measures to transform uncertainty into market opportunities. Hui outlined reforms aimed at strengthening listing competitiveness, trading efficiency, and regulatory frameworks, including revised requirements for weighted voting-rights structures, facilitating secondary listings by overseas issuers, and a T+1 settlement cycle.
Hui noted that the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd reported 49 new listings in the first four months of this year, raising more than HK$150 billion (approximately $20 billion), marking a sixfold increase compared to the same period last year.
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He highlighted that new connectivity products, listing reforms, settlement-cycle upgrades, enhanced post-trade infrastructure, stronger offshore renminbi tools, tax changes for funds and family offices, a more flexible real estate investment trust regime, incentives for corporate treasury centers, regulated digital-asset infrastructure, and targeted market diversification initiatives like gold trading are the building blocks of Hong Kong’s market competitiveness.
"As supply chains and capital flows are restructured, markets that can provide trusted rules, deep liquidity, and cross-border access become more important," Hui said, adding that Hong Kong exemplifies these qualities.
The Ninth World Finance Forum Annual Conference and Dialogue of Continents 2026 High-Level Seminar was co-hosted by the Organizing Committee of the World Finance Forum, the Center for BRICS and Global Governance, and the Reinventing Bretton Woods Committee, with the Financial Services Development Council as a strategic partner.
The conference was themed "In Search of a New Anchor for Stability and Growth: How to Reshape and Adapt to the New World Economic and Financial Landscape in a Divided and Turbulent World".
