The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, started his visit to Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, on September 22 (Ljubljana time) and welcomed Slovenia’s recognition of the benefits that a Comprehensive Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (CDTA) with Hong Kong would bring to both economies.
 
     On the invitation of the Slovenia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr Klemen Boštjančič, Mr Hui will join a high-level roundtable conference hosted by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) of Slovenia for financial ministers and financial experts. At a welcome dinner hosted by Mr Boštjančič for panellists held on September 22, Mr Hui was greeted with the good news that the Slovenian Government and National Assembly are deliberating on the decision to prioritise the CDTA with Hong Kong.
 
     "It is reassuring to receive the encouraging response from the Slovenian Government soon after my initial proposal to Mr Boštjančič this June that both sides are attaching importance in reaching a CDTA so that our business communities would be able to reap the tremendous benefits as soon as possible. With a CDTA in place, the business communities and residents of the two places will better understand the potential tax liabilities from cross-border investments, and enjoy avoidance of double taxation. This will be conducive to creating a more favourable and attractive business environment for investors to establish or expand their businesses. With the commitment of both sides, the first round of CDTA negotiations should be possible in the near future," he said.
 
     Earlier in the day, Mr Hui met with the Chairman of the Capital Market Authority (CMA) of Saudi Arabia, Mr Mohammed bin Abdullah Elkuwaiz, to update him on the situation of Hong Kong's financial market and the various initiatives announced in "The Chief Executive's 2025 Policy Address" to consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre. The CMA is the regulator of the Saudi Arabian capital market, including the Saudi Stock Exchange, which is the only authorised entity allowed to carry out the trading of securities in Saudi Arabia.
 
     Mr Elkuwaiz has a great interest in Hong Kong's financial market and its various advantages. Mr Hui suggested enhanced co-operation between the two parties to help build the Saudi capital market into one of the most important financial markets in the world. He noted that the co-operation between the two financial markets is not new and Saudi Arabia can take the city as a reliable partner for investment and financial development. Collaboration between the two financial markets include the first Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) investing in the Saudi market listed in Hong Kong since 2023, two ETFs tracking Hong Kong stock indices on the Saudi Exchange since last year and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last year between the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia to work jointly towards anchoring an investment fund of a target size of US$1 billion as well as the first Islamic bond (sukuk) ETF listed in Hong Kong this May.
 
     Mr Hui also paid a courtesy call on the Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Slovenia, Mr Zhao Binghui. They discussed the latest trend and opportunities of Mainland enterprises going global, and how Hong Kong can play its unique role to better serve the relevant needs.
 
     On September 23 (Ljubljana time), Mr Hui will attend a high-level roundtable conference hosted by the MoF of the Republic of Solvenia as well as a business event organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia. He will also meet ministers of finance from other countries on the sidelines of the Slovenian MoF roundtable conference.

Ends/Tuesday, September 23, 2025
Issued at HKT 21:32

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