Beijing links Hong Kong finance to security and openness
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Beijing has told an international audience that Hong Kong’s finance sector remains nationally important and is the area where the city can best serve the country. In a video address to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s annual Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, Vice-Premier He Lifeng said Hong Kong would have central government backing if it understands national needs and balances security with efficiency. His repeated emphasis on both “security” and “opening up” framed the two ideas as compatible, with security presented as the condition for broader experimentation and market development. The message was reinforced by the HKMA’s announcement during Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 of four new initiatives, split between measures aimed at efficiency and opening up, and measures focused on security
Key Points
- He Lifeng delivered a video address to the HKMA’s annual Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit, presenting Hong Kong finance as nationally significant
- He said finance is the most important pillar in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan for economic and social development
- The vice-premier repeatedly paired “security” with “opening up”, arguing that Beijing sees security as the precondition for further opening
- He described “one country” as the “seed capital” and “two systems” as the “profit”, signalling priority for protecting national interests
- The HKMA said on Monday during Hong Kong FinTech Week 2026 that four new initiatives were being launched, covering both efficiency and security
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong, the editorial line suggests future financial liberalisation and fintech trials are more likely to win Beijing’s support when they are framed as serving national priorities and managing risk. That could shape how regulators, banks and investors position new products, market access proposals and cross-border financial experiments in the coming years