EY: Measures such as optimizing the listing process will help enhance the international appeal of Hong Kong's capital market

The Zhitong Finance App learned that the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Li Jiachao, announced the “Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2026-2030)” and the “Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address”. Lo Kai-leung, head of capital market services at EY Greater China, said he is happy to see the government adopt the EY proposal so that more innovative enterprises can receive government and patient capital support and effectively use the Hong Kong capital market to achieve continuous growth. On the other hand, measures to enhance the competitiveness of the listing mechanism, such as optimizing listing processes and systems to reduce compliance and administrative costs, and streamlining prospectus disclosure requirements, will not only help continue to enhance the attractiveness of the Hong Kong capital market to international investors, but will also further strengthen the position of the Hong Kong capital market as a cross-border investment and financing hub.

Cheung Ping-yin, managing partner of EY Hong Kong and Macau, said that the EY team will continue to work with all sectors to jointly promote Hong Kong to seize the new opportunities brought by national development and global economic transformation, further enhance Hong Kong's international competitiveness, and achieve higher quality, more resilient and more sustainable development. The relevant measures are in line with EY's proposed direction and will help Hong Kong to further develop its advantages as an international platform, provide high value-added support in terms of rules, standards, compliance, risk management, etc., and enhance the influence of Hong Kong's system and professional services. Furthermore, in line with deepening the work of special overseas classes and expanding international economic and trade networks proposed in the Policy Address, Hong Kong will effectively play the role of “super contact” and “super value-added person” of the country's high-level opening-up to the outside world, and support enterprises to seize opportunities in the Greater Bay Area and international markets.

EY Hong Kong and Macau tax director Cheng, said that the measures reflect that the government is promoting economic transformation through collaboration between industrial policy and tax policy. The direction is also in line with the EY proposal to establish the northern metropolitan area as a demonstration zone for industrial and tax policy innovation, and support the development of high-value-added and innovative industries with more targeted tax incentives.

Guan Wenjun, EY's partner in charge of strategy and transaction consulting services in Greater China, said that EY welcomes the government's more targeted support for emerging industries and future industries with strategic value and high-quality development through more organized resource coordination. Among them, the pilot plan for optimizing digital transformation support mentioned in “Artificial Intelligence +” is in line with the direction proposed by EY. It is expected that the policy will help resolve the current pain points of small and medium-sized enterprises in applying artificial intelligence and strengthen their competitiveness.