Policy Address

V. Continue to Create Strong Impetus for Growth

Raise Competitiveness

50. The measures we launched last year to attract enterprises, investment and talents have generated positive results. On the trawl for talents, we have attracted about 160 000 applications, among which over 100 000 have been approved and around 60 000 talents have already arrived at Hong Kong as at end-September.

51. On our efforts to attract enterprises, the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) has reached out to over 200 strategic enterprises, of which 30 are planning to establish their foothold or expand their operations in Hong Kong. A total of about $30 billion of new investment is involved, with around 10 000 employment opportunities expected to be created. In the first nine months of this year, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) assisted over 300 Mainland and overseas enterprises in establishing or expanding their operations in Hong Kong, representing an increase of more than 25% over the same period last year.

52. We must nonetheless sustain our efforts to strengthen Hong Kong's competitiveness in view of the fierce global competition.