Hong Kong leader John Lee calls for city to attract more high-quality maritime businesses

Hong Kong will continue to serve as the businesses and logistics gateway between mainland China and the world, city leader tells World Maritime Merchants Forum

Port of Hong Kong, one of the world’s busiest, has been hit hard by the outbreak of Covid-19 and a slowdown in global economic growth

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The Kwai Tsing terminal in Hong Kong. It handled 0.96 million TEUs in October, a decline of about 20 per cent compared to last year. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:10pm, 15 Nov 2022Updated: 9:11pm, 15 Nov 2022

John Lee Ka-chiu, Hong Kong’s leader, has said the city needs to attract more high-quality maritime businesses to the city, which is keen to maintain its international shipping centre status despite unprecedented headwinds.

“The Hong Kong SAR government endeavours to attract more high-quality maritime businesses to Hong Kong and, in turn, develop an even more vibrant maritime services cluster,” Lee told the World Maritime Merchants Forum on Tuesday.

“Thanks to long-standing advantages, such as our friendly business environment, tax regime, the rule of law, world-class infrastructure and abundant professional talent, Hong Kong will continue to serve as the businesses and logistics gateway between the mainland and the world,” he said.

Shipping is the lifeblood of Hong Kong’s economy, Lee said. “This connectivity, and now deepening integration with the mainland will create fresh opportunities for Hong Kong and for the economies and companies that work with us.”

John Lee attends the World Maritime Merchants Forum in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Port of Hong Kong, one of the world’s busiest, has been hit hard by the outbreak of Covid-19 and a slowdown in global economic growth. In the first 10 months this year, it handled 13.88 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), down by 6 per cent year on year, according to Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board.