Hong Kong-Indonesia Green Finance Ties Set to Deepen, Says Jakarta Envoy
SCMP · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Indonesia's special envoy for international trade has highlighted significant opportunities for Hong Kong and Indonesia to deepen cooperation in green finance. Mari Elka Pangestu said Hong Kong's common law expertise could support Indonesia's efforts to attract family offices while serving as a crucial conduit for mainland China investments flowing into Asean. Speaking at the University of Hong Kong on Wednesday, Pangestu noted that Asean-Hong Kong merchandise trade reached HK$1.66 trillion in 2025, representing 15.3 percent of the city's total trade.
Key Points
- Mari Elka Pangestu, Indonesia's special envoy for international trade and vice-chairwoman of the National Economic Council, delivered a lecture at the University of Hong Kong on Wednesday
- Hong Kong and Asean merchandise trade grew at 7.6 percent annually on average over the past five years, reaching HK$1.66 trillion (US$211.5 billion) in 2025
- Asean is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner, comprising the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and East Timor
- Both sides are eager to develop green finance, with Pangestu identifying financial connectivity, green bonds, sustainable finance and infrastructure investment as key areas of complementarity
- Rising global fuel prices have heightened urgency for renewable energy production across Asean, creating investment opportunities in electric vehicles and requiring alignment of green bond standards
Why It Matters
Hong Kong's positioning as a gateway channelling mainland China investments to Asean underscores the city's strategic role in regional economic integration. The push to align green bond standards and taxonomies could unlock private capital for Southeast Asia's energy transition, benefiting Hong Kong's financial services sector and reinforcing the city's status as a green finance hub .
Hong Kong's positioning as a gateway channelling mainland China investments to Asean underscores the city's strategic role in regional economic integration. The push to align green bond standards and taxonomies could unlock private capital for Southeast Asia's energy transition, benefiting Hong Kong's financial services sector and reinforcing the city's status as a green finance hub .