Hong Kong aims to be an 'impact capital' hub

As Asia looks to drive more impact on social investment amid geopolitical challenges and a decline in foreign aid to the region, China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has reaffirmed its commitment to "meaningful partnerships that create a value for all".

The assurance came from Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po during a speech at the AVPN Global Conference 2025, Asia's biggest forum related to social investment, as it kicked off a three-day event in the city on Sept 9.

Addressing the gathering, the senior government official added that beyond finance, the Greater Bay Area, including Hong Kong, is fast rising as the world's leading innovation cluster.

Chan noted that start-ups were developing transformative solutions, ranging from AI-powered greentech to medtech and inclusive fintech, all designed to solve real-world problems and promote equitable development.

Across the Chinese mainland and elsewhere in Asia, a new wave of innovation is emerging, brimming with tech start-ups and enterprises, offering scalable, tech-enabled solutions to address the most pressing challenges like climate change, he said.

"With these advantages, Hong Kong is keen to create a seamless ecosystem where capital can be efficiently structured, deployed and scaled for maximum sustainable impact, both within our region and across the globe," said Chan.

"At our core, Hong Kong believes in collaboration. We are committed to building strong, cross-sector partnerships that create value for all. In this connection, understanding how to mobilize impact capital effectively is crucial. I am pleased to note that tomorrow, our Financial Services Development Council will launch a special report right here at this conference," he added.

Chan said the report will highlight real-world case studies that showcase how Hong Kong is already serving as a powerful agent in mobilizing impact capital.