Policy Address

  1. Continuously enhance the Payment Connect, expanding to use cases for remittance related to people's livelihood. The Government will improve disbursement arrangements for portable cash assistance next year, so that Hong Kong elderly recipients retiring in Guangdong and Fujian Provinces may opt to receive Government assistance directly through their bank accounts with designated Mainland banks.

  2. Work with exchanges in the GBA to develop commodity trading, carbon trading and other businesses. The HKEX, a controlling shareholder of the Qianhai Mercantile Exchange, will continue to strengthen mutual co-operation for the development of the offshore spot soybean market. Core Climate, the carbon marketplace of the HKEX, will collaborate with pilot carbon markets in the GBA to explore cross-boundary trade settlements on a trial basis.

  3. Boost collaboration between the HKIC and the Guangdong Government to help Hong Kong's enterprises with high technology content, such as biotech and health tech start-ups, to strengthen cross-border industry chain development. Nansha will be the key base for the first phase.

  4. The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) is working with Shenzhen and Qianhai to promote digital finance development and support deeper integration of technology and finance between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Measures are expected to be announced later this year.