Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Frederick Ma says Middle East investors and businessmen can use Hong Kong as a gateway to China and participate in the growth of the country's economy using the city's financial market as a platform.

This was Mr Ma's message to 200 executives at the Financial Times China-Middle East Summit Gala Dinner in Dubai yesterday.

Highlighting Hong Kong's strengths as an international financial centre, he said it is the "Silk Road of the modern age", bridging economic ties between the Mainland and the Middle East.

He spoke of Hong Kong's role as the Mainland's gateway to the world market, acting as a platform for funds, investors, fund raisers and financial institutions in the Mainland to link up with the global market.

Mr Ma and the Hong Kong delegation returned to Hong Kong today. During their six-day visit they met senior government officials, chambers of commerce, institutional investors, financial regulators, and representatives of the financial services and real estate sectors in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.