According to the results of the 2024 Annual Survey of Companies in Hong Kong with Parent Companies Located outside Hong Kong and the 2024 Startup Survey released by the Government today (December 17), the number of companies in Hong Kong with overseas or Mainland parent companies rose to 9 960 in 2024, while the number of start-ups in Hong Kong increased to 4 694, both reaching record highs. The results demonstrate that Hong Kong is becoming increasingly attractive to businesses and remains an ideal place for Mainland and overseas enterprises to set up or expand their operations.
      
     The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, "With our unique advantages under 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong is the best two-way platform for overseas enterprises to tap into the Mainland market and for Mainland enterprises to go global, and therefore is their prime destination for investment. While factors such as global economic uncertainties, a shift in market behaviour after the epidemic and geopolitics have hindered enterprises' global expansion plans, Hong Kong's business-friendly environment has maintained its unique advantages and attractiveness, offering enterprises vast opportunities.
      
     "Apart from the above two local surveys that fully demonstrate the confidence shown by overseas and Mainland enterprises in Hong Kong's future development, Hong Kong was also recently ranked among the best in the reports by various international institutes. We were again ranked by the Fraser Institute as the world's freest economy, and remained the fourth globally in terms of inward foreign direct investment recipient in the World Investment Report 2024. Coupled with the various policy initiatives covered by the Chief Executive in his 2024 Policy Address, as well as recent policy breakthroughs, including the liberalisation measures under the amended Agreement on Trade in Services under the framework of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, the automatic extension of land leases for 50 years to beyond 2047, and visa and travel facilitation measures, Hong Kong's appeal as a global hub for business and investment is further enhanced.
      
     "On another note, the number of start-ups in Hong Kong continues to grow at an impressive rate, reflecting that the Government's proactive implementation of various support measures in recent years have been effective in nurturing an ideal start-up ecosystem for local start-ups to thrive," Mr Yau added.
      
     The number of Hong Kong companies with overseas or Mainland parent companies has significantly increased along with the city's continuous recovery in the post-epidemic era. According to the 2024 Annual Survey of Companies in Hong Kong with Parent Companies Located outside Hong Kong, jointly conducted by Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Census and Statistics Department, there were 9 960 companies in Hong Kong with parent companies located outside Hong Kong in 2024, representing an increase of 10 per cent which amounted to over 920 companies when compared with that of last year. The number of people employed reached 493 000, recording an increase of 5 per cent year on year.
      
     Analysed by the location of the parent company, in 2024, the Mainland was ranked first (2 620), followed by Japan (1 430), the United States (1 390), the United Kingdom (720) and Singapore (520).
      
     Mr Yau pointed out that, "Companies from the Mainland continued to top the list, proving once again that Hong Kong is Mainland enterprises' preferred platform to go global. As for the continued growth in the number of companies from overseas, it indicates that businesses remain pragmatic about business expansion and are sensibly choosing Hong Kong as their base to expand in Asia despite geopolitical headwinds. As the only city in the world where the global advantages and the China advantages come together in a single economy, Hong Kong will continue to proactively play the bridging roles as a 'super connector' and a 'super value-adder', attracting overseas enterprises to invest in the Mainland while assisting Mainland enterprises to tap into overseas markets, thereby creating stronger impetus for growth in Hong Kong's trade and economic development."
      
     Analysed by major line of business in Hong Kong in 2024, among those 9 960 companies, the import/export trade, wholesale and retail sector topped the list (4 730), followed by the financing and banking sector (2 020) and the professional, business and education services sector (1 530).
      
     In addition, according to the results of InvestHK's 2024 Startup Survey, start-ups in Hong Kong continued to flourish with a record high number of 4 694, up by 10 per cent from last year, fully illustrating the attractiveness of Hong Kong to start-up founders. These start-ups engaged 17 651 persons, representing an increase of 7 per cent compared to last year's figure.
      
     These start-ups spanned across different sectors, such as financial technology; information, computer and technology; electronic commerce; education and learning; and data analytics, etc. Notably, the number of start-ups in the health and medical sector as well as the sustainable technology/green technology sector recorded significant year-on-year increases of 54 per cent and 82 per cent respectively.
      
     The results of the two surveys have been uploaded to the websites of the Census and Statistics Department (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1110004&scode=360) and InvestHK (www.startmeup.hk/about-us/hong-kongs-startup-ecosystem/) respectively.

     The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, today (December 17) met with the Director of the Palace Museum, Dr Wang Xudong, and his delegation. Miss Law introduced to the delegation Hong Kong's latest developments in arts, culture and creative industries. They also explored opportunities for co-operation and exchanges with the Palace Museum in relevant sectors.

     The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) and the Palace Museum have maintained close exchanges in the arts, culture and creative industries. The Palace Museum has supported the work of the CSTB for many years and jointly organised several large-scale artefact exhibitions, including "The Forbidden City and The Palace of Versailles: China-France Cultural Encounters in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries", which will be open to the public tomorrow and is supported by the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund. On creative industries, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on "the Palace Museum Cultural and Creative Products Hong Kong Space" in June this year to promote collaboration in creative design between the two places.

     Miss Law said that with support from the National 14th Five-Year Plan in developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchanges, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will actively integrate the city into the overall national development. Continuing to build on Chinese culture as a foundation, the Government leverages Hong Kong's unique position and advantages to contribute cultural content to the country's modernisation and promote cultural prosperity.   

  

     An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) delegation attended the International Symposium on Climate-Resilient Water Supply organised under the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative in Sri Lanka today (December 17), to share Hong Kong's water environment management technology and experience with Indian Ocean countries, including Sri Lanka (Symposium organising country), Comoros, Madagascar, the Maldives and Seychelles.

     The Symposium is organised by the China-Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology, and is being held in Kandy, Sri Lanka, on December 16 and 17. Its objective is to promote exchanges and co-operation between China and Sri Lanka, as well as other B&R countries around the Indian Ocean, on water environment science and technology, with a view to strengthening the training of professionals, assisting in solving key water environment and public health issues, and driving sustainable water resources management.

     Attendants of the Symposium are from the Sri Lankan Government, a number of national research organisations and tertiary institutes, including the Ministry of Environment of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka, the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the CAS, as well as representatives from research organisations and tertiary institutes from China, Sri Lanka, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Madagascar, the Maldives, Seychelles and more.

     At the Symposium, the EPD delegation conducted in-depth exchanges and experience sharing with the participating parties to jointly promote high-quality green development under the B&R Initiative, and delivered two thematic presentations to introduce Hong Kong's water quality management strategies and smart technology applications from a practical management and technological development perspective, including various technologies for source pollution control, sewage collection and treatment, real-time online water quality monitoring and three-dimensional water quality simulation. The delegation also visited the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka to learn about its latest green technology developments and had technical exchanges with local scientific researchers.

    

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department today (December 17) announced that all Hong Kong public libraries, mobile libraries and students' study rooms will close at 5pm on Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year's Eve (December 31).
 
     On Christmas Day (December 25), Boxing Day (December 26) and New Year's Day (January 1, 2025), all Hong Kong public libraries, mobile libraries and students' study rooms will be closed.
 
     Moreover, system maintenance work will be carried out from 7am on December 25 to 7am on December 27, and from 0.30am to 11.59pm on January 1, 2025, during which the following services will be suspended:
* library mobile app services and Internet and telephone renewal services;
* other online library services, including the library catalogue, borrowers' record enquiries, reservation of library materials and Internet and Digital Service Workstations and electronic resources (e-books and e-databases); and
* self-service library stations (readers may still return books to the stations before the due date, and the loan record will be updated within two working days).
 
     Details can be obtained from notices posted at all public libraries and the library website at www.hkpl.gov.hk/en/library-notices/library-notices-list.html. For enquiries, please call 2921 0208.

     â€‹Ringing in the snake for a bright year to come, Hongkong Post announced today (December 17) that Lunar New Year special stamps and associated philatelic products on the theme of "Year of the Snake" will be released for sale on January 5, 2025 (Sunday). The "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet of Lunar New Year Animals – Dragon/Snake" and "Year of the Snake" Joint Souvenir Packs will be issued on the same day, adding a festive ambience to the new year.

     With a long-standing history, the 12 Chinese zodiac signs carry great significance in traditional Chinese culture. To welcome the Year of the Snake, Hongkong Post will release the second issue of the fifth Lunar New Year special stamp series. A set of four stamps, two stamp sheetlets and associated philatelic products feature various depictions of the snake adorned with traditional Lunar New Year elements. The background is set off with festive colours and light-gold plants, giving an atmosphere of rejoicing in celebration of the Year of the Snake. Set against a background of bamboo and peonies respectively, the $10 stamp sheetlet and the $50 laser-cut paper art stamp sheetlet depict a snake embellished with motifs of auspicious clouds and ruyi locks, signifying success and peace. The motif on the $50 stamp sheetlet is laser-cut with exquisite technique to create a delicate silhouette of a snake, rendering the stamp sheetlet a prestigious collectible for the Year of the Snake.

     For the "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet of Lunar New Year Animals – Dragon/Snake", this is the first issue in the third Lunar New Year Gold and Silver stamp issue series. This stamp sheetlet is embedded with two zodiac stamps, namely "Year of the Dragon" stamp and "Year of the Snake" stamp, each in a denomination of $50. The dragon and snake on the stamps are hot stamped with silver foil and 22-carat gold foil respectively, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. The snake is specially produced with an embossing technique, creating a lifelike and dynamic effect.

     In addition, China Post, Hongkong Post and Macao Post and Telecommunications will jointly present "Year of the Snake" Joint Souvenir Packs on the same day. The Joint Souvenir Packs contain the souvenir sheet jointly issued by the three postal administrations, demonstrating that the three places share the same roots and cultural lineage.

     Official first day covers for "Year of the Snake" and official souvenir covers for the "Gold and Silver Stamp Sheetlet of Lunar New Year Animals – Dragon/Snake" will be on sale at all post offices and on Hongkong Post's online shopping mall ShopThruPost (shopthrupost.hongkongpost.hk) from tomorrow (December 18). Prestige versions of the aforesaid covers, red packets and the newly designed 2025 Souvenir Cover will also be available at all philatelic offices and ShopThruPost on the same day.

     This set of special stamps and associated philatelic products will be on sale at all 37 philatelic offices and ShopThruPost from January 5, 2025, and will also be available at other non-philatelic offices from January 6. Serviced first day covers/Lunar New Year animals souvenir covers affixed with the special stamps, prestige versions of serviced first day covers/Lunar New Year animals souvenir covers affixed with the special stamps, postage prepaid Lunar New Year greeting cards (air mail), "Heartwarming Stamps" mini-panes (local/air mail), Joint Souvenir Packs and prestige versions of Joint Souvenir Packs will be available at philatelic offices only.
      
     Special sales arrangements will be made on the stamp issue date, January 5, 2025. Thirty-two philatelic offices will be open from 9.30am to 1pm on that day, while the other five philatelic offices including the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office, Sha Tin Central Post Office and Tuen Mun Central Post Office will be open from 9.30am to 5pm.

     â€‹A hand-back date-stamping service will be provided on January 5, 2025, at all philatelic offices for official first day covers/souvenir covers/privately made covers bearing the first day of issue indication and a local address.  

     Information about this set of special stamps and associated philatelic products is available on the Hongkong Post Stamps website (stamps.hongkongpost.hk).