2020 2014 23,976 1,164.8 2014 2006 9 22 2015 6
2 2,585 31% 3 10 鄧仲敏 Victoria Tang 27 CGCC VISION JUN 2015 23
Shanghai FTZ Ushers in a New Era of HK-Shanghai Cooperation Shanghai is focused on basically developing itself into world-class economic, financial, trade and shipping centres by 2020. These four centres and the expansion of the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone (FTZ) are expected to drive the demand for relevant professional and support services. With its strengths in the business, logistics and finance industries, Hong Kong can actively support Shanghai s economic development in a win-win situation. Hong Kong has always been the biggest source of foreign investment for Shanghai. According to Victoria Tang, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai (SHETO), as of 2014, Hong Kong had a total of 23,976 investment projects in Shanghai, with total contract value amounting to US$ 116.48 billion. In 2014, the main areas of Hong Kong s investment in Shanghai include finance, real estate, wholesaling and retailing. SHETO Plays a Bridging Role Formally established in September 2006 in response to the increasingly close economic and trade relations between the Mainland and Hong Kong, the SHETO s main functions include strengthening the ties and communications among the service areas (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shandong); promoting communications and cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong in economic, trade and other areas; deepening the Mainlanders understanding of Hong Kong; and providing assistance to Hong Kong residents who encounter difficulties in the Mainland. Tang said that the SHETO has always been committed to promoting trade and economic cooperation between Hong Kong and Shanghai through various approaches, and is working closely with Hong Kong s chambers of commerce and organisations such as the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Tourism Board by actively participating and supporting the economic and trade activities organised by them. The SHETO also serves as a bridge: on the one hand, it briefs the major business groups in Hong Kong on the latest regional economic and trade policies, regulations and measures in a timely manner; on the other hand, it collects the views of Hong Kong enterprises operating in Shanghai on the local regulations to provide appropriate feedback to the relevant Mainland authorities. Capture Opportunities Arising from FTZ Expansion Since its unveiling, the Shanghai FTZ has attracted increasing attention from the Hong Kong business community. As of end-february this year, there were a total of 2,585 Hong Kong enterprises set up in the FTZ, representing 31% of all foreign-funded enterprises. Currently, Shanghai is actively preparing for expanding the FTZ. Tang believes that the further expansion of the FTZ can provide a more convenient business environment and broader development space for Hong Kong enterprises operating in the Mainland. Among them, Hong Kong s modern services can also support the FTZ s mode of open economic development. In response to the FTZ s continuous development, Tang stressed that the SHETO also actively assists Hong Kong enterprises to capture business opportunities by closely monitoring the FTZ s latest policies and collecting statistics in order to disseminate the latest information. The SHETO is also pleased to assist Hong Kong s chambers of commerce and groups to visit the Shanghai FTZ for first-hand observation. For instance, in March this year, the 24 2015 6
隨着上海自貿區進一步擴充, 有利香港拓展零售及金融等產業 With the further expansion of Shanghai FTZ, enabling Hong Kong to expand its retail and finance industries. Chamber s Chairman Charles Yeung, led a delegation to visit Shanghai for the second consecutive year to meet with Han Zheng, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee to discuss issues such as the development of Shanghai s free trade experimental zone. Tang also attended the meeting. Good Prospects for Financial Cooperation Officially launched last year, the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect CGCC VISION JUN 2015 25
marks a new era for financial cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong. Tang said that the Stock Connect is a mutually beneficial cooperation scheme to open up the respective stock markets of Shanghai and Hong Kong to each other, which will not only help the gradual liberalisation of the Mainland s capital accounts and internationalisation of the RMB, but also consolidate and enhance Hong Kong s status as an international financial centre as well as an offshore RMB business centre. Tang added that financial cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong has always been an important issue for both places. For example, she said that Hong Kong s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau has been in close contact with Shanghai s authorities to discuss the financial issues of mutual interest, such as the implementation status of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, strengthening of cooperation on cross-border RMB business, securities, futures and insurance, and deepening of training and exchanges of financial personnel in both places. Tang believes that the Shanghai FTZ will be an important platform for driving financial cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong, which is beneficial to cross-border RMB businesses and financial intermediary services, and encourages businesses in Hong Kong to strengthen their connection and ties with businesses in Shanghai, actively tapping the business opportunities in Shanghai through their own experiences and contacts, while assisting the Mainland enterprises to go global through Hong Kong, thus achieving a win-win situation. In addition to the Shanghai FTZ and financial cooperation, at the third session of Hong Kong, Shanghai Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference successfully held in April, the HKSAR Government s Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau and Civil Service Bureau respectively signed agreements with the relevant departments of the Shanghai Municipal Government. Cooperation between both places in 10 areas and 27 specific has been affirmed. It covers the finance, trade, technology development and creative industries, which are all closely related to the sustainable development of both places. It also shows that cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong is diversified, multi-level and multi-directional, a form of cooperation that will help the country, Hong Kong and Shanghai to create a win-win-win situation. 26 2015 6