Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Yao and a written reply by the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, in the Legislative Council today (February 4):
 
Question:
 
     As pointed out by some press reports, the Government stated in December last year that the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises had attracted an aggregate of 102 strategic enterprises over the three years following its establishment, and it was expected that in the next few years, these enterprises would bring a total of approximately $60 billion in investment and create about 22 000 employment opportunities in Hong Kong. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether the Government has grasped the number of employees actually hired by these enterprises in Hong Kong so far, and the number of employees among them who engage in jobs relating to innovation and technology; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(2) as there are views pointing out that there are discrepancies between the Talent List formulated by the Labour and Welfare Bureau and the actual demand for talents in the market, and some academic talents admitted to Hong Kong through talent admission schemes have difficulty in finding job types that match their professional segments and qualifications, whether the Government will review on a regular basis the extent to which the local industry structure matches the Talent List, and whether it will include the professional or occupational categories covered by the Talent List as a factor for consideration when attracting enterprises, so as to create more diversified employment opportunities of a high quality; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) whether it has followed up the local operating situation of strategic enterprises that have been attracted to Hong Kong, including whether they have set up facilities such as research and development centres, production lines or regional headquarters; if so, of the details (including the numbers of the relevant facilities); if not, the reasons for that;
 
(4) whether it has formulated strategies to enhance communication and collaboration between the Government and the business sector, so as to leverage the relationship networks of the business sector on the Mainland and join hands in bringing the task of attracting enterprises to satisfactory completion; if so, of the details; and
 
(5) of the strategies for assisting strategic enterprises that have been attracted to Hong Kong in integrating with the supply chains and application scenarios in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) is dedicated to attracting enterprises from industries of strategic importance to Hong Kong. Its work includes identifying target strategic enterprises, understanding their needs and providing customised facilitation support and one-stop services to those establishing their presence in Hong Kong.
 
     My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Andrew Yao is as follows:
 
(1) OASES has been proactively attracting high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe, with a particular focus on the five priority industries, namely life and health technology, AI and data science, financial technology, advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, as well as cultural and creative industry. These enterprises can bring diversified and high-quality job opportunities to Hong Kong, and the aforesaid industries have a strong demand for talent across various sectors, including scientific research, AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, medical and health services, environmental technologies, creative industries, operations management, legal and accounting services, and business development.
 
     At present, OASES has attracted 102 strategic enterprises to Hong Kong. These enterprises are expected to bring in approximately HK$60 billion of investment and create around 22 000 jobs in the coming years, injecting new impetus into Hong Kong's development. Many of these enterprises have a market capitalisation or valuation exceeding HK$100 billion and possess cutting-edge technologies. Their presence in Hong Kong helps attract upstream, midstream and downstream enterprises to the city, accelerates industrial development, facilitates the upgrading and transformation of traditional manufacturing, expands the local industrial ecosystem, and creates more quality employment opportunities.
 
     In April 2025, OASES conducted a phased assessment of the recruitment progress of these strategic enterprises. At that time, the overall number of employees hired was around 4 000. The latest figures are being updated. Some enterprises are still in the process of setting up in Hong Kong, building teams and commencing operations, and their staffing levels will expand progressively as their businesses grow. Actual operational progress and recruitment timelines vary depending on industry characteristics, research and development (R&D) cycles and market deployment. OASES has been closely monitoring the establishment progress and talent needs of enterprises. It will continue to provide tailored support, including collaboration with innovation and technology parks, universities and research institutions, chambers of commerce and professional bodies, to expedite the R&D and operational activities of strategic enterprises in Hong Kong.
 
(2) The Government drew up the first Talent List in 2018 with a view to attracting high-quality talent from different industries and professional sectors in an effective and focused manner. At present, eligible talent who come to Hong Kong through the General Employment Policy (GEP), the Admission Scheme for Mainland Talents and Professionals (ASMTP), or the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme to engage in professions covered by the Talent List can enjoy immigration facilitation. In the Talent List recently updated on March 1, 2025, the Labour and Welfare Bureau and relevant bureaux and departments, after careful consideration and in consultation with stakeholders including industry organisations of various sectors, major business chambers, the Human Resources Planning Commission and the Labour Advisory Board, included industries related to the development of the "eight centres". The number of professions covered was expanded from 51 to 60. In reviewing the Talent List, the Government considered whether talent of the professions concerned were readily available in the local employment market and whether the talent in demand could not be nurtured by local training in good time. Upon the review and as of end-2025, applications approved under the Talent List surged by about 1 800 cases, representing an increase of around 110 per cent as compared to the prior period. Most of such cases fell under the employment-tied GEP and ASMTP, indicating that the Talent List is effective in responding to local manpower needs and alleviating manpower shortages of professionals. The Government will continue to monitor manpower changes dynamically through manpower projections and follow-up surveys, and will review the Talent List from time to time based on the demand for talent.
 
     OASES has been actively promoting and encouraging strategic enterprises established in Hong Kong to participate in various Government talent training and development programmes, enabling them to build a sustainable talent pipeline to support their long-term development in Hong Kong. At the same time, OASES continues to promote exchanges between enterprises and local universities and research institutions, exploring collaborative R&D and joint talent training models to cultivate the professional talent more comprehensively. The Government will maintain cross-departmental co-ordination on local industrial development, labour market conditions and actual enterprise needs, and will review talent policies as necessary to ensure alignment between talent admission and industrial development. This will support enterprises in establishing and expanding their presence in Hong Kong, thereby creating more diversified and quality job opportunities.
 
(3) As of the end of January 2026, among the 102 strategic enterprises attracted to Hong Kong, over 50 per cent are listed companies and 12 per cent are preparing for listing. In addition, 75 per cent have chosen Hong Kong as their global or regional headquarters, and around 90 per cent have established or are in the process of establishing R&D centres locally.
 
     OASES will continue to support enterprises in establishing R&D centres in Hong Kong and in attracting top research talent from the Chinese Mainland and overseas to enhance innovation capacity. It will assist listed and pre-listing enterprises in leveraging Hong Kong's financial platform to attract overseas investment. OASES will also promote the establishment of flagship projects in Hong Kong that align with international standards and expand into global and the Belt and Road markets. At the same time, it will facilitate the setting up of corporate treasury centres to strengthen cross-border capital and foreign exchange management, and match suitable projects during the early stages of settlement to speed up implementation and industrialisation.
 
     OASES maintains close communication with enterprises and follows up on their actual operations in Hong Kong, according to their establishment progress and business deployment. As enterprises differ in industry characteristics, R&D cycles and establishment timelines, their operational models and facility development in Hong Kong will progress according to their own strategies. OASES will continue to stay in contact with enterprises and update relevant information in a timely manner to keep abreast of their latest operational situation.
 
(4) The Government recognises the extensive networks of the business sector on the Chinese Mainland and overseas as a vital force in attracting enterprises. OASES has adopted a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen collaboration with the business community and stakeholders, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of investment promotion.
 
     In 2025, OASES organised and participated in a wide range of activities with the business sector and various stakeholders, including over 40 investment promotion and marketing events, over 10 enterprise landing and operational support activities, over 10 business and capital-matching events, about 20 cross-sector exchanges and delegation visits, as well as a number of talent- and industry-related thematic events.
 
     OASES maintains regular exchanges with major chambers of commerce, industry associations, professional service organisations and leading enterprises through round-table meetings, thematic briefings and two-way communication mechanisms. These efforts help OASES understand enterprises' business layouts on the Chinese Mainland and overseas, industry trends and investment intentions. At the same time, OASES engages closely with the business sector, research community and professional bodies through forums, thematic events and exchange platforms, to gain insights into industry developments and enterprise needs from multiple perspectives, thereby strengthening its grasp of the industrial ecosystem.
 
     In addition, OASES collaborates with different stakeholders to participate in industry forums and business exchanges, and conducts visits to Mainland provincial and municipal governments, industrial parks and research institutions to promote cross-boundary industrial co-operation. These efforts enables OASES to reach enterprises with potential more effectively and enhance investment promotion efficiency.
 
     Looking ahead, OASES will continue to work with the business community to strengthen industry information sharing and promote cross-boundary industrial chain collaboration, so that more strategic enterprises will be attracted to Hong Kong and the local industrial ecosystem would be further expanded.
 
(5) The Government attaches great importance to supporting strategic enterprises in integrating into the supply chains and application scenarios of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and in seizing the opportunities arising from the recommendations of the 15th Five-Year Plan.
 
     OASES will play an active role in this process by attracting globally influential enterprises, supporting enterprises in using Hong Kong as a base to expand into the Chinese Mainland market, promoting collaborative R&D and industrialisation, and assisting enterprises in identifying production, R&D, testing, demonstration and commercialisation scenarios in the GBA. This will extend the industrial chain from production to the high-value end of the value chain. Leveraging Hong Kong's strengths in professional services, logistics and shipping, financial platforms, intellectual property and compliance management, OASES will help enterprises establish supply chain management, cross-boundary settlement, financing arrangements and market expansion functions in the GBA to enhance operational efficiency.
 
     OASES actively promotes collaboration between enterprises and research institutions, industrial parks and universities in GBA cities, supporting joint R&D, pilot testing and commercialisation to strengthen synergy between the innovation and industrial chains in the GBA. For example, in the life and health technology sector, OASES successfully attracted a Southeast Asian medical technology enterprise to establish an R&D centre in the Hong Kong Science Park and recruit local research talent so that it can undertake innovative research activities in the future. The enterprise has since expanded rapidly and set up a base in Qianhai, Shenzhen, responsible for supply chain management in the GBA. This case demonstrates the complementary advantages of Hong Kong and GBA cities in industrial collaboration.
 
     Looking ahead, OASES will deepen co-operation with other GBA cities, promote the flow of innovation and industrial collaboration, and leverage Hong Kong's successful cases to support enterprises in expanding into global and Belt and Road markets.

Ends/Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 17:08

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