Financial Secretary Paul Chan today officiated at a spring reception hosted by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), where he told representatives of Mainland enterprises that the Government will take a multipronged approach to welcome more Mainland enterprises to Hong Kong.
Addressing the spring reception, Mr Chan pointed out that this year marks the beginning of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, and the next five years will be a crucial period for the country’s development. Under the “one country, two systems” framework, Hong Kong possesses unique institutional strengths and it is essential for Hong Kong to leverage these strengths to accelerate its integration into the national development strategy.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government looks forward to continuing to work closely with Mainland enterprises to promote Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, and to contribute to the nation’s development, he added.
Mr Chan also said the Hong Kong SAR Government will take a multipronged approach to welcome more Mainland enterprises to Hong Kong, enabling them to fully utilise the city’s one-stop financial support and international advantages to strengthen their own development.
Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR Zhang Yong, and Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau joined Mr Chan to officiate at the reception.
Before the reception, InvestHK held the GoGlobal Forum to explore development opportunities and discuss how enterprises can leverage Hong Kong as their home port to realise international expansion plans.
Mr Yau told the forum that he looks forward to seeing more Mainland enterprises expanding globally via Hong Kong, working hand in hand to achieve mutual benefits and write a new chapter for Mainland enterprises going global.
The Commerce & Economic Development Bureau established the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global last October, integrating Hong Kong’s overseas offices, including those under InvestHK, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council as well as Hong Kong offices on the Mainland, to set up a one-stop platform.
The task force also brings together Hong Kong’s professional services ecosystem to provide one-stop support to Mainland enterprises expanding overseas via the city. It will continue to organise various activities to promote Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a platform for Mainland enterprises to go global.
Co-organised with the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, today’s reception and forum drew a total of nearly 800 representatives from Mainland enterprises.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at Lenovo Tech World ’26 Hong Kong today (March 10):
Ken (Executive Vice President of Lenovo and the President of Lenovo Solutions & Services Group, Mr Ken Wong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Singapore heritage-inspired bakery brand Old Seng Choong opens first overseas store in Hong Kong Founded by renowned Singaporean pastry chef Daniel Tay, Old Seng Choong was created as a tribute to his father’s Seng Choong Confectionery established in 1965. The brand offers modern interpretations of traditional flavours and currently operates five outlets in Singapore. The Hong Kong store introduces a curated selection of the brand’s signature offerings, including Singapore Pandan Chiffon Cake, Traditional Kueh Lapis, and Premium Heritage-inspired Cookie Collections.
The General Manager of Old Seng Choong (Hong Kong) Limited, Mr George Wong, said, “Hong Kong is a strategic growth market for Old Seng Choong, as it shares cultural similarities with Singapore – including an appreciation for heritage flavours, a strong premium gifting culture, and a cosmopolitan consumer base – making it a natural fit for our products and brand positioning. The launch of our Hong Kong store will attract customers seeking to experience the brand’s signature Singaporean flavours – particularly its Pandan Chiffon Cake and Premium Cookies, both well-loved among Hong Kong consumers familiar with Singapore’s gifting culture.”
He added, “We will leverage Hong Kong as a strategic hub to gradually reach consumers on the Chinese Mainland, using the city’s connectivity and retail ecosystem to support regional growth. The Hong Kong team will continue to strengthen local partnerships, enhance marketing initiatives, and tailor products to local tastes, ensuring a premium, culturally resonant brand experience for Hong Kong consumers and beyond.”
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
FEHD releases first batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March
District Among the first batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering 14 survey areas in March, most of the areas recorded 0 per cent, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive.
Among these 14 survey areas, 12 recorded a decrease or remained unchanged as compared to the Area Gravidtrap Index last month (i.e. February 2026), representing that the areas’ mosquito infestation improved or maintained a low level. Two other areas recorded a slight increase, but the indexes were lower than 10 per cent. Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.
Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department’s webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#Issued at HKT 17:00
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Report on “Beyond Wealth: Advancing Hong Kong’s Family Office Ecosystem Through Philanthropy, Impact Investing, and Risk Management” The Chief Executive Officer of the AoF and the Executive Director of the HKIMR, Mr Enoch Fung, said, “As Hong Kong solidifies its position as a leading hub for family offices in Asia, this report aims to offer valuable insights for industry participants to cultivate a thriving and sustainable FO ecosystem and to facilitate long-term growth in the financial services sector.” About the HKIMR
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Auction of personalised vehicle registration marks to be held on March 28(ii) the identity document of the purchaser (if the purchaser and the successful bidder are different persons); (iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (if the purchaser is a body corporate); and (iv) a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed. Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.Issued at HKT 14:56
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Results of monthly survey on business situation of small and medium-sized enterprises for February 2026 The current diffusion index (DI) on business receipts amongst SMEs increased from 43.4 in January 2026 in the contractionary zone to 45.3 in February 2026, whereas the one-month’s ahead (i.e. March 2026) outlook DI on business receipts was 47.6. Analysed by sector, the current DIs on business receipts for all the surveyed sectors rose in February 2026 as compared with previous month, particularly for the retail trade (from 38.4 to 41.4), restaurants (from 38.6 to 41.4) and import and export trades (from 45.7 to 47.4).
The current DI on new orders for the import and export trades increased from 46.0 in January 2026 to 47.1 in February 2026, whereas the outlook DI on new orders in one month’s time (i.e. March 2026) was 47.9.
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that business sentiment amongst SMEs improved in February, with the current and outlook diffusion indices on business receipts for SMEs both rising to near two-year highs. The current diffusion index on employment for SMEs also improved from the preceding month.
Looking ahead, local business sentiment will be supported by the sustained expansion of the economy. The Government will closely monitor the evolving external environment, including the developments surrounding the heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the frequently shifting trade and economic policies of major economies.
Further information
The Monthly Survey on Business Situation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises aims to provide a quick reference, with minimum time lag, for assessing the short-term business situation faced by SMEs. SMEs covered in this survey refer to companies with fewer than 50 persons engaged. Respondents were asked to exclude seasonal fluctuations in reporting their views. Based on the views collected from the survey, a set of diffusion indices (including current and outlook diffusion indices) is compiled. A reading above 50 indicates that the business condition is generally favourable, whereas that below 50 indicates otherwise. As for statistics on the business prospects of prominent companies in Hong Kong, users may refer to the publication entitled “Report on Quarterly Business Tendency Survey” released by the C&SD.
The results of the survey should be interpreted with care. The survey solicits feedback from a panel sample of about 600 SMEs each month and the survey findings are thus subject to sample size constraint. Views collected from the survey refer only to those of respondents on their own companies rather than those on the respective sectors they are engaged in. Besides, in this type of opinion survey on expected business situation, the views collected in the survey are affected by the events in the community occurring around the time of enumeration, and it is difficult to establish precisely the extent to which respondents’ perception of the business situation accords with the underlying trends. For this survey, main bulk of the data were collected around the last week of the reference month.
On January 23, Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung led a delegation to San Francisco. During the visit, he witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements between the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and Stanford University’s Stanford Robotics Center (SRC). He also witnessed a new phase of the Taiwan Research Institute Entrepreneur Ecosystem (TREE) program with the Stanford School of Engineering.
Minister Kung also visited the headquarters of Cadence Design Systems, a global leader in Electronic Design Automation (EDA), and met with the U.S. space startup unicorn, Apex, to further strengthen Taiwan-U.S. collaboration in scientific innovation, talent cultivation, and startup networking.
Minister Kung pointed out that as the government promotes the Ten AI Initiatives Promotion Plan, intelligent robotics serves as a core driver for AI implementation. By connecting industry, academia, and research institutions through government resources, the R&D visibility of Taiwanese startups and enterprises can be enhanced.
This international partnership with Stanford is built upon Taiwan’s solid industrial foundation, utilizing demonstration sites and international alliances to accelerate the entry of Taiwan’s smart robotics industry into the international market, ultimately achieving industrial transformation and competitive upgrades.
Minister Kung was also scheduled to hold discussions with Taiwanese business representatives in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley to understand their investment layouts, operations, and needs for government assistance. These insights will help the government implement its strategy of Rooted in Taiwan, Expanding Globally, Marketing worldwide.
On January 27, Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung and U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jacob Helberg, concluded the 6th U.S.-Taiwan Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD). Since the inaugural EPPD in 2020, it was the first time the Co-chairs from both sides met in person.
During the meeting, both parties agreed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait were crucial to global economic security and prosperity. They signed the Joint Statement on the Pax Silica Declaration and U.S.-Taiwan Cooperation on Economic Security, underscoring Taiwan’s importance in the global AI supply chain.
Their discussions focused on seven key areas: promoting AI supply chain development, digital infrastructure, critical minerals supply, unmanned aircraft systems supply chains, high-tech talent cultivation, Taiwan-U.S. cooperation in third countries, and bilateral economic cooperation. Both sides explored ways to continue deepening the Taiwan-U.S. relationship.
The meeting yielded fruitful results, and the U.S. and Taiwan plan to establish working groups on important cooperation topics to sustain dialogue and expand outcomes.
On January 28 at the Atlantic Council in Washington D.C., Minister of Economic Affairs Ming-Hsin Kung delivered a keynote speech and participated in an interview titled Taiwan’s Role in Global Supply Chains and the Future of US-Taiwan Ties, where he elaborated on Taiwan’s pivotal role in global supply chains.
During the well-received event, Minister Kung emphasized that Taiwan will be indispensable in two areas: the “explosive growth of AI” and the “creation of non-Red supply chains.” He expressed his hope that Taiwan and the United States could work together to make even greater contributions to the world.
Following the event, Minister Kung also held a closed-door meeting to exchange views on deepening the Taiwan-U.S. economic and trade partnership. Major U.S. chambers of commerce, industry associations, technology companies, think tanks, and trade experts attended the meeting.
Minister Kung noted that over the past decade, major developments would include the U.S.-China trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Trump administration’s tariff policies. Throughout these challenges, Taiwan has demonstrated immense resilience, gradually shifting from a reliance on the Chinese market to a global strategic layout.
Leveraging its strength in the global foundry and IC packaging/testing markets, Taiwan has formed a close technological synergy based on diverse competencies with U.S. IC design firms.
Minister Kung emphasized that the Taiwan-U.S. economic partnership has continued to grow during this process. From 2020 to 2024, Taiwanese investment in the U.S. grew at an average annual rate of 36%. Currently, Taiwanese manufacturers have established semiconductor and ICT industry clusters across several U.S. states, including California, Arizona, and Texas.
Looking ahead, under the trend of “non-Red supply chains,” Taiwan and the U.S. will collaborate comprehensively in critical fields such as next-generation communications, low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), critical minerals, and biotechnology.