HONG KONG CONNECT


	The Chief Executive’s speech at National Day reception Speaking at the National Day Reception in Celebration of the 73^rd Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China on 1 October, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr John Lee, said that Hong Kong always has its motherland’s strong backing in matters ranging from opening up opportunities to overcoming difficulties. Over the past two years, the Central Authorities promulgated and implemented the Hong Kong National Security Law, improved the HKSAR’s electoral system and implemented the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle, turning Hong Kong from chaos to governance. Mr Lee expressed his full confidence in the future of Hong Kong as it undergoes the critical transition from stability to prosperity, with its irreplaceably distinct advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. More details here.

	InvestHK’s Investment Promotion Week aims to lift foreign companies’ awareness of Hong Kong’s business opportunities Invest Hong Kong launched a series of themed seminars to provide foreign companies and business chambers with the latest updates about the city’s dynamic business environment, enduring global hub status and business opportunities arising from growing ties with the Mainland. As part of the official celebrations of the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, the five-day Investment Promotion Week ran in a hybrid format from 17 to 21 October at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and online. It featured five thematic days - Financial Services/Business Professional Services/FinTech, Innovation and Technology, Lifestyle and Creative Industries, Startup - Sustainable Futures, and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) - with over 120 speakers sharing insights and experiences in their respective areas. More details here.

	Innovation Hub@HK Launched by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR, Innovation Hub@HK aims at showcasing research and development outcomes of Hong Kong’s public research institutes to facilitate commercialisation and technology transfer to the industry. Through Innovation Hub@HK, people can access information about the deliverables of the applied research work of Hong Kong’s top researchers, get in touch with the relevant research institutes and explore how their research outcomes could help upgrade and transform business. Through precise search of keywords, technology areas, industrial sectors, and research institutes, the Hong Kong technologies can be easily explored. More details here.

	Hong Kong scores with masters back The Hong Kong Masters came to an all-time successful close on 9 October after seven exhilarating sessions over four days, one 147 by local favourite Marco Fu, and more than 8 500 spectators at the final, which represented the largest audience in the professional sport of snooker. World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan swept to a 6-4 triumph beating Fu who had reached baize perfection the day before with a maximum break.

	Updates on Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic measures The Government has suitably relaxed the existing social distancing measures. Relevant measures include: Effective from 3 November restrictions on the operating and dine-in hours for catering business premises and scheduled premises will be lifted; patrons will be allowed not to wear their masks during photo-taking on stage at events held at catering business premises, premises where events are held and other scheduled premises; and barbecue sites managed by the Government will be reopened. Government departments will gradually reopen relevant facilities starting 3 November. Effective from 20 October live performance and dancing activity are allowed in various premises; eating and drinking are allowed in outdoors areas of theme parks; and the maximum number of persons allowed in group gatherings in public places has been relaxed to 12. Effective from 6 October the maximum number of persons per table for catering premises has been increased from 8 to 12; the restriction on all activities in scheduled premises has been relaxed, with a limit on the number of persons per group from 8 to 12; the maximum number of persons per table for bars/pubs and clubs/nightclubs has been relaxed from 4 to 6; the maximum number of persons for banquets in catering premises has been relaxed from 120 to 240; and the suspension mechanism for cruise-to-nowhere itineraries has been lifted. Read more at the Fight Against COVID-19 website.



	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Business Awards Gala Dinner organised by the South Australia Chapter of the Hong Kong Australia Business Association (HKABA) The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Business Awards Gala Dinner organised by the South Australia Chapter of the HKABA on 7 October. Miss Lim stressed that Hong Kong has the unparalleled advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. Hong Kong is a free, open and business-friendly international metropolis with well-developed infrastructure, internationally aligned regulatory regime and a low, simple and competitive tax system. Miss Lim added that with the lifting of quarantine requirements under a “0+3” arrangement for arrivals and a series of major international events including the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, the Hong Kong Sevens, the Hong Kong Fintech Week and the Asia Summit on Global Health to be held in the coming months, she welcomed more and more business travellers and tourists back in Hong Kong.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the Business Awards Gala Dinner organised by the Queensland Chapter of the HKABA The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the Business Awards Gala Dinner organised by the Queensland Chapter of the HKABA on 14 October. Miss Lim highlighted that the internationally aligned regulatory regime, market-oriented business environment, East-meets-West culture, strategic position in Asia with a deep pool of talents, high efficiency as well as rich and sumptuous connection have made Hong Kong distinct. Capitalising on the enormous opportunities presented by the National 14^th Five-Year Plan, the GBA Development, and the continuing opening up of the Mainland’s financial markets, Hong Kong would continue to strengthen its status as an international financial, shipping and trading centre, enhance its strengths in such areas as innovation and technology (I&T), and do more and roll out bold measures to attract talents and enterprises. Miss Lim welcomed business travellers and tourists to visit Hong Kong as Hong Kong has lifted the quarantine requirements under a “0+3” arrangement for arrivals, with a series of major regional and global events to be held in the coming months.

	Director of HKETO Sydney attended the 23^rd Business Awards organised by the New South Wales Chapter of the HKABA The Director of HKETO Sydney, Miss Trista Lim, attended the 23^rd Business Awards organised by the New South Wales Chapter of the HKABA on 21 October. Miss Lim shared with the participants the key initiatives announced in the Chief Executive’s 2022 Policy Address, particularly the proactive and aggressive initiatives to attract enterprises, investment and talents. She highlighted that the Government will establish the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises to attract strategic enterprises from around the globe with special facilitation measures and one-stop services. Top Talent Pass Scheme will be launched to attract talents of high salary and graduates of the world’s top 100 universities to pursue careers in Hong Kong. The Government will also establish the HK$30 billion Co-Investment Fund for attracting enterprises to set up operations in Hong Kong and investing in their businesses. Miss Lim added that the Chief Executive had also announced an array of new initiatives to unleash Hong Kong’s I&T potential, which include launching a HK$10 billion scheme to support commercialisation of research and development outcomes, and attracting not less than 100 high-potential I&T enterprises to set up operations in next five years.



	*Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit (Hong Kong)* To be held on 2-3 November, the Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit is a budget initiative announced by the Financial Secretary in his 2022-23 Budget to further tap into Hong Kong’s strength in attracting investment and our influence as an international financial centre. The high-level event on 2 November features speeches by the HKSAR Government leaders, Chinese financial regulators, as well as themed panels on three topics, namely “Navigating through Uncertainty”, “Technology, Innovation and the Future of Finance” and “Sustainable Finance - from Paris to Sharm el-Sheikh and Beyond”. The 3 November “Conversations with Global Investors” seminar, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Academy of Finance, will have two panels, featuring nine of the world’s top investment management firms. The Summit will bring together an eminent group of global financial leaders from over 100 major institutions including banks, securities firms, asset managers, private equity and venture capital firms, hedge funds, and insurers. More than 30 of these institutions are represented by their group chairmen or CEOs. More details here.

	*Hong Kong Fintech Week (Hong Kong and online)* Hong Kong FinTech Week 2022 will take place in person and virtually from 31 October to 4 November. Themed “Pushing Boundaries, Reaping Benefits”, the flagship event promises to lead the development of the industry and deliver fintech breakthroughs in different aspects of financial services and beyond. This year’s conference will bring together global leaders and renowned sponsors across different verticals, alongside world-leading fintech innovations to explore the future development of fintech. It is set to attract more than 20 000 attendees and over 3 million views online from over 80 economies, with over 250 distinguished speakers, 400 sponsors and exhibitors, and more than 30 international delegations. More details here.

	*Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival (Hong Kong)* To be held on 1-30 November, the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival returns with a series of gastronomic experiences and exciting foodie events: indulge in creative cocktails, enjoy delicious wine and food pairings with mesmerising waterfront views, and sample exclusive, good-value dishes crafted by talented chefs of the city. More details here.

	*Asia Summit on Global Health (Hong Kong and online)* Themed “Charting a New Course in Healthcare through Collaboration”, the second Asia Summit on Global Health will again be staged in Hong Kong on 10-11 November and extended to a two-day event, bringing together all the stakeholders - from healthcare experts to renowned academia and influential business leaders, together with key industry players, innovative start-ups, investors and policymakers from around the world to exchange insights, explore opportunities and collaborate on the diverse and dynamic healthcare sector. More details here.

	*Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference (Hong Kong and online)* The Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference, the most important thought leadership event of its kind in Asia, brings together logistics, maritime, air freight and supply chain management services providers and users, including manufacturers, traders and distributors, to exchange market intelligence and explore business opportunities in the region through a plenary session, power dialogues, forums, exhibitions, business matching, roundtable meetings as well as instant online networking on 22-23 November. More details here.

Updates on Latest Situation in Hong Kong