Hong Kong becoming more attractive as int'l financial center: spokesperson

BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong is becoming more attractive as an international financial center, and it is drawing more foreign companies and individuals to make investments and start new businesses, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a regular news briefing when asked to comment on Hong Kong's rise in the rankings in the 2025 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, released recently by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The yearbook said Hong Kong advances to the third position in the global competitiveness rankings. This is the first time Hong Kong has returned to top three in the rankings since 2019. The yearbook also puts Hong Kong at the first in the Tax Policy and Business Legislation rankings.

"The yearbook is a recognition of Hong Kong's unique position and strength, and the prospect of 'one country, two systems.' Hong Kong has entered a stage where it is set to thrive," Guo said, adding that Hong Kong remains one of the world's freest economies and most competitive regions.

According to statistics, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) gained No.1 spot in global fundraising in the first half of this year, with a total amount of 14 billion U.S. dollars. The number of overseas visitors received by Hong Kong in the first five months of this year rose by 18 percent year on year, and a number of large international companies have redomiciled to Hong Kong, Guo said.

"Those are votes of confidence for Hong Kong from the international community," he said.

Noting the Hong Kong national security law will soon enter its fifth year of implementation, Guo said China believes that with the institutional safeguards of "one country, two systems," and given Hong Kong's unique advantage of having the backing of the motherland and being connected to the world as well as a secure environment for high-quality development, Hong Kong is headed to an even brighter future. ■