Positive signals in the international landscape will inject stability into the global arena and create a more favorable environment for Hong Kong to strengthen its external links, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in his Sunday blog.

“The latest meeting between the leaders of China and the United States, to be followed by the Russian president’s upcoming visit to China, has sent a positive signal to the world. Amid geopolitical instability, these dialogues will inject stability into the international arena and create a more favorable environment for Hong Kong to strengthen its external connections,” he said.

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Chan began a business trip to Paris, Brussels and Zurich on Sunday. In the French capital, he will attend a ministerial conference on combating terrorist financing, and discuss boosting cooperation with representatives of more than 80 countries and regions. He will also meet executives of major European financial institutions, private equity and venture capital funds, as well as heads of family offices, in the three cities to deepen cooperation and attract investment.

“Strengthening exchanges at the international level, conducting direct face-to-face discussions, and responding to their questions will help overseas business and financial communities gain a deeper understanding of Hong Kong’s current situation and developments, as well as the city’s strategic significance for their business expansion on the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

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The finance chief said he expects his European trip to help transform the special administrative region’s thriving innovation and finance ecosystem and talent pool into tangible opportunities for international investors.

“Hong Kong possesses the four advantages of finance, trade, scientific research and artificial intelligence. In actively aligning with the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and better integrating into the overall national development strategy, Hong Kong is leveraging its role as an international interface and efficient exchange platform for innovation and technology development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” Chan said.

“Hong Kong’s talent and capital convergence effect, driven by the linkage between ‘AI+’ and ‘Finance+’, is mutually reinforcing the continuous emergence of business and investment opportunities. When international capital meets Hong Kong’s development and connects with the cutting-edge innovations of the Greater Bay Area, they can mutually benefit each other and make a unique Hong Kong contribution to the common prosperity of the world in the future.”

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He said the recent recognition of Hong Kong by various international institutions reflects a greater understanding of the city’s latest developments and future potential, with a recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) affirming Hong Kong’s role as an international financial center and superconnector, and US-based credit rating agencies Moody’s and Fitch Ratings giving the city a stable outlook and credit rating.

The IMF report also mentioned policies and measures related to the development of the Northern Metropolis project that it said would help Hong Kong develop innovation, technology and high-value-added services, while also supporting economic growth and transformation.

“Their assessments and other information can provide valuable insights for global investors and the business and financial communities, helping to attract more long-term international investments to Hong Kong,” Chan said.