Exclusive | Leaders at Davos focused on Hong Kong business landscape not Article 23 national security law, finance chief Paul Chan says
- Financial Secretary Paul Chan says ‘overall sentiment’ expressed about Hong Kong at gathering better than last year
- Some attendees saying pass Article 23 legislation ‘as quickly as possible’ and then focus on using city as platform to capture regional opportunities, he adds
Global business and political leaders meeting Hong Kong’s finance chief during a high-profile summit in Switzerland are more concerned about the city’s economic developments than impending home-grown national security legislation, the top official has told the Post.
“Although they have some concerns about the economic development on the mainland and its consequential impact on Hong Kong … [I am taking] … this opportunity to explain to them our efforts in the past year, in terms of attracting strategic enterprises and talent to come to Hong Kong,” he said.
“They are impressed by the achievements that we have so far, and I [have also taken] … the opportunity to explain to them how we are going to further enhance the competitiveness, [and] grow our innovation and technology sector.”
Chan added the summit participants were impressed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s speech in Davos on Tuesday, in which he talked about the continuing opening up of mainland China and the strategies the country was taking to foster high-quality development.
