Sound advice: Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Frederick Ma encourages Canadian investment dealers to use Hong Kong to access Mainland business opportunities.

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Frederick Ma has encouraged Canadian investment dealers to use Hong Kong to access business opportunities on the Mainland.

Delivering a keynote speech at a conference in Whistler, Canada, today, Mr Ma highlighted areas where Hong Kong can facilitate Canadian companies in their Mainland investments, and Hong Kong's role as the premier capital formation centre for Mainland enterprises and as a major asset management centre.

"With 13 years of experience in raising capital for Mainland companies, Hong Kong has firmly established its position as the preferred listing venue for Mainland enterprises," he said.

"The IPO by the Bank of China last month, which was reported to be the biggest IPO worldwide in six years, has demonstrated again to the world the growing participation of Mainland enterprises in the global capital markets as well as the substantial fund-raising capability of Hong Kong's stock market."

Huge potential

Hong Kong's markets offer an abundant supply of investment opportunities with huge growth potential to investors from all over the world, he said.

Noting there are only a few Canadian brokerage firms in Hong Kong, Mr Ma encouraged investment dealers to take advantage of the excellent prospects of Hong Kong's asset management industry and use the city as their regional base.

"With our unique strengths and close ties with the Mainland, we provide an excellent financial intermediation channel for funds flowing into and out of the Mainland.

"There is no shortage of lucrative investment and business opportunities, and more and more prestigious fund houses and other financial institutions are coming to Hong Kong. You surely would not want to lag behind."