HK takes investors to Chinese mainland

Plans include a more targeted and integrated investment promotion programme for Mainland companies, boosting the resources of our Mainland teams and increasing the commitment of InvestHK's officers and resources to the Mainland market.

InvestHK has been actively promoting the advantages of using Hong Kong as a springboard for Mainland enterprises to expand overseas. In 2004, for example, the department organised a series of 23 investment promotion seminars in 13 major cities in the Mainland to introduce Hong Kong's investment environment and its competitive advantages to potential investors.

In addition, we received more than 20 incoming delegations from the Mainland, including large-scale delegations of over 100 members from Guangdong and Fujian Provinces.

Moreover, in response to the Ministry of Commerce's (MOC) new investment facilitation policy for Mainland enterprises to invest in Hong Kong launched last August, InvestHK has developed a series of tailored services under the name of 'One Stop Service' for Mainland investors.

These services include:

InvestHK 800 Hotline

A toll-free InvestHK hotline in the Mainland for handling enquiries from Mainland enterprises;

InvestHK Service Centre

Enquirers can visit the centre at InvestHK headquarters to collect information and talk with our experts about investing in Hong Kong;

InvestHK Kit

An information kit, tailor-made for Mainland companies interested in establishing or expanding in Hong Kong, which is provided free of charge; and

InvestHK Step-by-step Guide

The first joint publication produced by InvestHK, MOC and the Commercial Office of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR. It describes in detail the procedures for obtaining relevant government approvals and documents required in the Mainland, and the steps for setting up a business in Hong Kong.

The implementation of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), Phase 2, has further opened up new business opportunities for both Mainland and foreign investors using Hong Kong as a base. InvestHK has been promoting the benefits of setting up operations in Hong Kong under CEPA in conferences and seminars on the Mainland.

These efforts have borne fruit. Mainland companies now account for US$100 billion in total investment and nearly 20% of InvestHK's active case load (compared with 0 three years ago). They are rapidly increasing their share of our total projects that are achieving record levels every year.

A growing number of these investments are regional or global headquarters, such as enterprise software firm Kingdee and traditional Chinese medicine maker Tong Ren Tang. In 2004, Mainland companies accounted for 10% of all regional headquarters in Hong Kong, surpassing the UK for the first time and trailing only the US and Japan.

While these are encouraging results, InvestHK will spare no effort to expand its activities and services aimed at Mainland investors. For example, we have added another investment promotion team to the four that were already assisting investors from the Mainland.

These dedicated teams will conduct more frequent investment promotion visits to Mainland enterprises, organise more seminars and other promotion activities there, as well as put together incoming missions to Hong Kong in coordination with the MOC, various local government departments and bodies from the Mainland. They also will continue to provide aftercare services to existing investors.