Fresh projects and sector connections expand opportunities across finance and technology

Aligned with national strategies, Beijing and Hong Kong have deepened their complementary cooperation across various sectors through the Beijing Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium, achieving remarkable results.

The Beijing Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium holds a key cooperation projects signing ceremony in Hong Kong on Wednesday. BEIJING INVESTMENT PROMOTION BUREAU

This symposium, a hallmark of economic and trade collaboration between the two regions, has served as a vital conduit for fostering partnerships and development, as well as a bridge for communication.

Over the past 27 years, it has facilitated 650 signed projects, boasting a total contract value of $129.3 billion.

The 28th session, held last week in Hong Kong, drew senior officials from both governments, alongside participants from international chambers of commerce, industrial associations, leading enterprises, and prominent business figures from both sides.

This year, the two-day event focused on key sectors such as financial services, technological innovation, professional services, and trade. It aimed to enhance the efficient integration of resources between the two regions and jointly explore new global market opportunities.

It featured an opening ceremony, thematic promotions, 13 specialized promotional activities, and investment negotiations. Notably, the opening ceremony and special activities centering on the digital economy, financial services, legal services, and intellectual property protection were hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The thematic promotion sessions focused on investment opportunities in Hong Kong and Beijing, introducing measures to support enterprise cooperation, sharing collaboration experiences, and featuring a signing ceremony for key projects.

A highlight of this year's symposium was the comprehensive demonstration of new opportunities arising from the integration of the two regions into the broader national strategic framework.

It also presented their respective economic strengths and business-friendly environments, establishing cooperation platforms in key areas such as financial services, artificial intelligence, digital economy, and professional services.

Economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and Beijing have always been robust. Hong Kong's cumulative investment in Beijing ranks first among all countries and regions investing in the city, while Beijing views Hong Kong as a preferred platform for outward investment.

This symposium further deepened exchanges and cooperation among governments, enterprises, and industries from both regions, highlighting new development drivers led by industry.

During the event, four categories of investment projects were revealed, including spatial resources, corporate financing, technological cooperation, and enterprises' global expansion. Additionally, several cooperation memorandums and key projects in financial technology, green development, and industrial finance were signed.

For enterprises aiming to expand globally, the symposium offered content tailored to the development needs of both Beijing and Hong Kong, addressing businesses' requirements for international expansion.

For example, the financial special session adopted an innovative roundtable dialogue format to explore how Beijing and Hong Kong can leverage their advantages to enhance financial cooperation, providing comprehensive support for Beijing enterprises expanding globally and continuously deepening financial collaboration between the two sides.

A robot interacts with participants at the Beijing Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium. BEIJING INVESTMENT PROMOTION BUREAU

The symposium also focused on the global expansion of private enterprises, organizing a special session to address the new international market landscape, evolving trade and investment rules, and the emerging needs of private enterprises. This session offered "one-stop, comprehensive, and high-precision" support services for overseas development.

Furthermore, the launch of the Hong Kong center of the Beijing International Arbitration Court during the event will aid enterprises from both regions in carrying out cross-border investment and trade activities more effectively.

A dedicated exhibition and negotiation area for all districts of Beijing was set up at the venue, showcasing the city's business environment and the advantages of its districts and industrial parks in sectors such as technological innovation, finance, and AI.

This provided enterprises with information on market development, investment opportunities, and talent acquisition in Beijing, attracting outstanding talents to the city and deepening cooperation between the two regions.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn