Hong Kong celebrated a significant milestone yesterday as more than 380 representatives from 413 newly arrived or expanded overseas and Chinese Mainland companies gathered at a welcome reception. Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the government's investment promotion agency, announced that these enterprises are expected to bring in over HK$53 billion (US$6.8 billion) in foreign direct investment and create more than 8,600 new jobs for the city.
Chief Executive John Lee highlighted Hong Kong's status as the world's freest economy, according to the Fraser Institute, and the second most competitive economy per the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook. "In choosing Hong Kong for your Asian and global business expansion, you share my belief in Hong Kong's flourishing future," Lee said. He emphasized the advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, including a business-friendly environment, low tax regime, and common law system that connects seamlessly with global financial centers.
InvestHK's first-half results for 2026 show a 9% increase in completed projects compared to the same period in 2025, with anticipated direct investment up 36% and new jobs created rising 6% year-on-year. Of the 413 enterprises, 246 originated from the Chinese Mainland, followed by Singapore (26), the United States (21), the United Kingdom (18), France (11), and Italy (11). The top five sectors are innovation and technology (93), financial services and fintech (89), tourism and hospitality (55), transport, logistics and industrials (44), and business and professional services (39).
Several company representatives shared their positive experiences. Michael Zankel, Regional Director East Asia/Oceania of Austria-based transport and logistics firm Gebrüder Weiss, which recently upgraded its Hong Kong office to a regional headquarters, stated: "The business environment is great, you have a lot of talent around here to employ. It has always been the gateway to the Chinese Mainland but for us it is more a gateway to Asia." Merwann Younes, Global Head of Hospitality & Lifestyle Channels for Italian company Moleskine, described Hong Kong as "a very dynamic and creative city, which are also the core values for Moleskine as a brand." Etienne Dubois, Chief Strategy Officer of Unlimitics, an AI-powered school simulation game developer for neurodivergent children, noted: "It is a very good melting pot for talent and opportunities and for growth."
Looking ahead, Chief Executive Lee said the HKSAR Government is expediting development of the Northern Metropolis, a new economic engine destined to become an international I&T and business hub. He added that the government is creating Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan, a strategic blueprint focusing on long-term economic momentum, advancing technology, and improving livelihoods. The full investment promotion results for the first half of 2026 are available at this link.
