Hong Kong can be a pivot for Belt and Road investment: expert

Hong Kong is expected to become an important pivot for the cross-border strategic investment related to the Belt and Road Initiative, said Mao Zhirong, director of Chinese mainland business development of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited at a financial forum in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Sept. 24.

He said the Belt and Road Initiative, the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Great Bay Area, and the two-way opening-up of capital markets will all increase cross-border capital flows.

There must also be institutional guarantees to ensure that capital markets are viable, open and the risks are well managed and controlled.

Hong Kong, as an international financial center, can support and manage different, financial, judicial and market systems, ensure sufficient capital mobility, and has the financial infrastructure to serve the cross-border investment and financing activities, he said.

Thus, Hong Kong has the ability to become a wealth management center, risk management center and the pricing center for assets on the Chinese mainland, he said, hoping that Hong Kong, through joint efforts of different parties, can provide an important pivot for cross-border projects to facilitate the cross-border investment related to the Belt and Road Initiative.