HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 1 November 2024 – Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, wrapped up his Middle East visit (October 31) by meeting top officials in Saudi Arabia, witnessing the signing of various bilateral memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and delivering a keynote speech at the “Future Investment Initiative” (FII).
In his speech at the session titled “Where is the New Silk Road?”, Mr Chan said Hong Kong has actively participated in and benefited from the Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the New Silk Road.
“Over the past decade, Hong Kong has played a vital role in its growth too. For instance, our external trade with Belt and Road economies has increased by around 60 per cent,“ Mr Chan said, adding that Hong Kong’s strategic vision to become an international green tech and green finance centre can contribute to the achievement of this common aspiration in many ways.
“First, we can address the funding gap. Hong Kong, as one of the top three international financial centres, along with New York and London, and Asia’s green finance leader, is well positioned to mobilise capital to support the green transition by matching quality projects with funding.
“Second, we can address the technology gap. Hong Kong is home to many green tech start-ups, all sharing the mission to develop technological solutions that combat climate change, which may well fit in the relevant strategies of economies in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
“Third, we can address the knowledge gap. That means linking up people, projects and knowledge. Hong Kong is a compact city, yet has solid experience in city planning and operations, and managing large-scale infrastructure projects.”
