Number of Hong Kong businesses with mainland China or overseas parents back to pre-coronavirus levels at more than 9,000, figures show
- Government figures show more than 9,000 companies and total of 468,000 staff with mainland China or foreign head offices in city
- Mainland China has most satellite operations, followed by Japan, US, UK and Singapore
The number of Hong Kong businesses with parent companies overseas or in mainland China has returned to pre-pandemic levels with more than 9,000 firms and a total of 468,000 staff, the government has said.
There were 9,039 companies with head offices located outside the city by June 1, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said on Thursday.
The figure is a 0.6 per cent increase compared with the previous year, when 8,978 such firms were recorded.
The latest count is in line with the pre-coronavirus level of 9,040 companies logged in 2019.
The mainland had the largest number of companies operating in Hong Kong in 2023, with 2,177, followed by Japan, the United States, Britain and Singapore.
The city also saw 4,257 start-ups this year, a record high, with 272 more registered than in 2022, a 34 per cent surge on the number recorded in 2019.