Why Hong Kong?

Located at the heart of Asia, Hong Kong’s strategic location facilitates your effortless travel to most markets in the Asia-Pacific region. The ideal location of Hong Kong enables businesses, talents and professionals to tap into the multitude of opportunities from the Belt and Road Initiative, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area and throughout the rest of the region, making it the world's 8th largest trading economy¹. This further consolidates Hong Kong’s leading position as an international business, trade, financial and talent hub.

With all of Asia’s key markets less than four hours’ away, over 9 000 overseas and Mainland businesses and companies have made Hong Kong their home². Many have placed their strategic functions, including sales, operations, research and development (R&D) as well as distribution, and have set up regional headquarters and corporate treasury centres in the city. Around 120 airlines offer easy and efficient travel to over 200 locations from Hong Kong³ whilst half of the world’s population can be reached within five hours by plane.

Hong Kong has long been one of the world’s leading financial capitals. Hong Kong is indisputably well positioned to meet the varying financing needs of all companies, whatever their business, their size and their stage of development.

The city is also home to the world’s largest offshore hub in Renminbi settlement. In terms of funds raised through initial public offerings, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has topped the world in seven of the past 12 years. In 2021, we raised nearly HK$330 billion (over US$40 billion)⁴.

Hong Kong is renowned for its free movement of capital, talents, goods and information. In addition to efficient public governance, the strengths of Hong Kong include a solid legal system and judicial independence, simple and low tax system, an open and free trade regime and a level-playing field for all businesses.

The Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) is a free trade agreement (FTA) concluded by the Mainland and Hong Kong. CEPA covers four areas: trade in goods, trade in services, investment, economic and technical cooperation. CEPA has strengthened the trade relationship in goods and services and fostered trade and investment between the two places, and are conducive to accelerating the economic integration and enhancing the long term economic and trade development of both places.

Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a FTA and a related Investment Agreement in November 2017. The agreements bring about legal certainty and better market access for the trade in goods and services as well as investment protection to Hong Kong. They will also help reduce the restrictions in doing business with and expand business opportunities in the 10 ASEAN member countries for Hong Kong enterprises.

Businesses and individuals in Hong Kong enjoy one of the most business-friendly tax systems in the world. Only three direct taxes (profits, salaries and property taxes) are imposed and there are generous allowances and deductions which can reduce your taxable amount.

On the other hand, Hong Kong imposes no sales tax or VAT, no withholding tax, no capital gains tax, no tax on dividends and no estate tax.

Hong Kong offers exceptionally ideal business environment supplemented with world-class infrastructure facilities, a wide variety of business premises, low setup costs and vast networks of service providers encouraging all scales of businesses to thrive. Company registration is simple and can be done very efficiently in around ten days’ time. The city’s intellectual property laws have been developed to reach the highest international standards to create a free and fair business environment. Non-residents who plan to setup business in Hong Kong can apply for an appropriate visa or entry permit easily. Top-notch talents who are covered in the Talent List would enjoy immigration facilitation under the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme. Potential talents that fall outside of the Talent List can still apply for the QMAS and other admission schemes as long as they fulfill the respective eligibility criteria.

Besides its enduring commercial advantages, Hong Kong’s legendary spirit of entrepreneurship and its boundless energy create the perfect environment for researches and startups. Startups are backed by a strong network of incubators and accelerators, a pool of experienced angels and venture capitalists, a host of funding and support programmes of the Government, Cyberport and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporations and a welcoming community of startups knit together by dozens of networking events, seminars and associations. It should come as no surprise that Hong Kong is Asia’s most dynamic startup destination, and home to a rapidly growing number of startups in areas as diverse as fintech, retailtech, healthtech, Internet of Things (IoT), smart city technologies and many more.

Enterprises and research institutions could obtain funding through various funding schemes and support programmes under the Innovation and Technology Fund. There are also world-class researchers in our universities whose projects are granted with resources from the Research Grants Council under its transparent vetting system. Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance have promulgated provisions on opening up science and technology funding of the Central Government for application by higher education institutions and research institutions in Hong Kong, providing further support channel for researches in Hong Kong.

Join them, and give your career the Hong Kong advantage.

Hong Kong is home to a diverse talent pool, equipped with the skills, knowledge and international outlook to drive business in Hong Kong and beyond. It is also home to 22 institutions of higher education and universities which award academic degrees. Currently five Hong Kong universities are featured in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings top 100 list, demonstrating the high quality of our education system⁵.

Newcomers to Hong Kong will find that language is rarely an issue with most locals being either bilingual or trilingual. Many business professionals can speak English and Cantonese, a lot of people may also speak Putonghua and even other foreign languages.

The rule of law is a core value of the Hong Kong community. Legality and equality before the law are two fundamental facets of the rule of law. Under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" which is enshrined in the Basic Law, Hong Kong enjoys independent judicial power including the power of final adjudication and maintains a common law jurisdiction within China. Intellectual property rights are enforced through specific policies and legal protection. The city’s intellectual property laws have been developed to reach the highest international standards in securing a free, fair and innovative business environment.

Hong Kong has over 50 international schools offering different international curricula. From kindergarten all the way to university, an international level of education is available to those seeking to maintain the educational consistency of their homes.

Hong Kong is a global city that has attracted people from all corners of the globe. Many are drawn to Hong Kong thanks to its vibrant lifestyle, beautiful scenery and welcoming international community. The same is allowing talents of all types to thrive in the city’s cosmopolitan surroundings.

Hong Kong is listed as one of the safest places in the world by different organisations. The city is a relatively crime-free society where people rarely fear for their personal safety.

The variety of food on offer in Hong Kong is one of the best in the world. With thousands of options from street-side food stalls to Michelin-starred restaurants, there’s something for everyone in Hong Kong. Options are not only plentiful but also diverse, with a wide array of cuisines available for Hong Kong’s international community.

The city is home to beautiful beaches and endless hiking trails. One only has to make a short journey away from the city to discover a completely different side to Hong Kong filled with nature and wildlife. Although Hong Kong is one of the world's largest metropolis, three-quarters of land is in a relatively natural state.