HKMA, InvestHK and HKCEA host "Belt and Road Opportunities" seminar

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association (HKCEA) jointly hosted a seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative today (April 11), to promote Hong Kong as an ideal platform for Chinese enterprises in Hong Kong with global expansion plans amid the national policy.

The seminar, entitled "Belt and Road Opportunities: How Chinese Enterprises can Leverage on Hong Kong's Advantages to Go Global", covered the challenges Chinese enterprises face when doing overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) under the Belt and Road initiative, and how they can make use of Hong Kong's advantages as an international financial and commercial centre to overcome these challenges and expand business overseas.

The event attracted around 100 executives from leading Chinese companies and financial institutions in Hong Kong. In his opening remarks, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK Mr Francis Ho said, "Over the years, InvestHK has been assisting Chinese companies 'going global' via Hong Kong. With the Belt and Road Initiative going at full speed, this 'super-connector' role of Hong Kong is bound to expand further, as the national policy gives rise to a broad range of new business opportunities here in Hong Kong."

In her keynote address, the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Miss Yvonne Choi, said that the seminar offered a full picture for Chinese enterprises as to Hong Kong's advantages and how the city could help them grab the opportunities amid the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Executive Director (External) of the HKMA, Mr Vincent Lee, said, "Today's seminar aims to deepen Chinese enterprises' understanding on overseas M&A through experience sharing and case study analysis, thus allowing them to develop the corresponding business healthily and further leverage on the advantages offered by Hong Kong's financial platform."

The Vice Chairman and President of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, Mr Zhang Xialing, said, "As Chinese enterprises continue to reach out to the world, some are successful but there are also many lessons learnt. This seminar with the collaboration of the HKMA and InvestHK will look at the opportunities as well as the challenges brought by the Belt and Road Initiative. We hope that Chinese enterprises will learn about the risks involved in M&A and related regulations and tax issues."

Other speakers included Partner, Financial Services M&A Leader, China, Hong Kong and Outbound Investments, PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd, Mr Chris Chan; the Executive Director North Asia M&A of JP Morgan, Mr Steve Jia; Senior Manager of Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax, KPMG, Mr Winson Chan; and Partner of Allen & Overy LLP Ms Li Ling. They provided the latest information in terms of transnational acquisition trends and procedures as well as spoke on ways to manage regulation and the tax risks involved.

For an event photo, please visit
www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157680680768900.  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority
11 April 2017

(From left) Senior Manager of Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax, KPMG, Mr Winson Chan; Partner, Financial Services M&A Leader, China, Hong Kong and Outbound Investments, PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd, Mr Chris Chan; the Vice Chairman and President of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association (HKCEA), Mr Zhang Xialing; the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Miss Yvonne Choi; Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) Mr Francis Ho; the Executive Director (External) of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Vincent Lee; Executive Director North Asia M&A of JP Morgan, Mr Steve Jia; and Partner of Allen & Overy LLP Ms Li Ling attend a seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative today (April 11) jointly hosted by the HKMA, InvestHK and the HKCEA.