(Hong Kong, 25 October 2023) The Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“the Institute”) welcomes the initiatives outlined in the Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address to foster the development of green finance, the competiveness of the stock market and talent integration with Greater Bay Area (GBA) with the aim of strengthening Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre. 

The President of the Institute, Loretta Fong welcomes the initiatives set out in the Policy Address. “Maintaining a well-developed financial market and business environment that shows breadth and depth is the key to success for Hong Kong’s economic development. The Institute welcomes the initiatives in the Policy Address to promote the further development of green finance, efforts to improve the liquidity of the stock market and help develop Hong Kong’s role as a regional intellectual property (IP) trading centre, as well as encouraging talent integration across GBA, among others. The Institute will continue to collaborate with various stakeholders to strengthen the development of professional services in the accounting sector, which will ultimately strengthen Hong Kong’s status as an international finance centre and location for investment,” says Fong.

Under the backdrop of increasing attention towards environment, social and governance (ESG) development in the international landscape, the Institute welcomes the Policy Address’ initiatives to promote the development of green and sustainable finance in Hong Kong.

The Institute believes early-stage funding support for pre-commercialized green finance technologies can catalyze market innovation and help to foster a more extensive innovation and technology ecosystem. At a broader level, this initiative, together with a number of measures in the Policy Address in support of Hong Kong’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, sends a strong message to the international community that Hong Kong is committed to sustainability stewardship. This will enhance the city’s reputation and contribute to its overall attractiveness.

The Institute will continue its close collaborations with financial regulatory bodies to gradually develop a set of sustainability standards that suit the Hong Kong’s business landscape and solidify the Institute’s role as the sustainability standard setter of Hong Kong. Having identified ESG-related knowledge as one of the key upskill areas for members, the Institute has stepped up its efforts in providing relevant training to keep its members abreast of the latest developments in the area.

The Chief Executive’s announcement to reduce stamp duty on stock transfers indicates that the government has listened to calls to take steps that could help reduce friction in the market and improve market liquidity. The Institute believes that, in a sluggish market environment, measures to improve Hong Kong’s competitiveness will be welcomed and could help increase the overall trading volumes.

The proposed “patent box” tax incentive accords with recommendations made by the Institute to encourage the use and development of IP in Hong Kong and improve Hong Kong’s overall competitiveness in this area. This, together with other IP-related initiatives, will also support the objective of increasing research and development activities conducted in Hong Kong.     

Efforts to deepen financial co-operation in the GBA are also welcomed. The institute believes providing expanded market access for Hong Kong-based financial institutions will further strengthen and diversify the city’s financial markets. Undertakings to promote regional exchange and co-operation in talent attraction will also help ease current pressures of talent shortages.

In terms of the accounting industry development, there are only around 300,000 CICPA members supporting a huge economy and a population 1.4 billion in the Mainland, while there are over 47,000 HKICPA members in Hong Kong. The Institute has actively engaged government authorities in the GBA in advocating for the profession, such as increasing the opportunities for Hong Kong accountants to practise in GBA cities and asking for policies at Guangdong provincial level to recognize Hong Kong CPAs as “high-end talent”.

In the future, the Institute will continue to nurture and develop the accounting profession in Hong Kong, advocate for the profession on key issues, and facilitate the profession to make long-term contributions to Hong Kong’s and the Mainland’s economic development.

香港會計師公會
歡迎政府施政報告採取措施 鞏固香港金融中心

（香港，2023年10月25日）香港會計師公會（公會）歡迎行政長官於今日發表《施政報告》中，提出促進綠色金融發展、提升股市競爭力以及與大灣區實現人才融合的措施，以鞏固香港的國際金融中心地位。

公會會長方蘊萱對施政報告中提出的措施表示歡迎。她表示：「維持發展完善、富有廣度和深度的金融市場及營商環境是香港經濟賴以成功的關鍵因素，公會歡迎施政報告中針對推動綠色金融發展、致力提升股市流動性、協助發展香港在區域知識產權（IP）交易中心的角色，以及促進大灣區人才融合等方面的措施。公會將繼續與各利益持份者合作，促進會計專業發展，從而加強香港作為國際金融中心及投資中心地位。」

近年全球對於環境、社會和管治（ESG）問題日益關注，公會歡迎對於施政報告中推動香港綠色和可持續金融發展的措施表示歡迎。

施政報告提及對尚未商業化的綠色金融科技提供前期資助，除了可鼓勵市場創新及有助於培育更廣泛創新和科技生態系統之外，於更廣泛層面而言，此舉及施政報告提出一系列支援香港2050年實現碳中和的措施，均可向外間傳達香港致力推動可持續發展之訊息，從而提升香港聲譽及香港整體吸引力。

公會亦將繼續與金融監管機構緊密合作，逐步制訂一套適合香港營商環境的可持續發展準則，並鞏固公會作為香港可持續性標準制定者角色。公會早前已將ESG相關知識，確立為會員重點提升的技能之一。因此，公會加強為會員提供相關培訓，確保他們能緊貼有關方面的發展。

行政長官宣布下調股票印花稅措施亦反映當局聽取市場意見。此措施有助於減少市場摩擦，並提高市場流動性。公會認為，在目前股市疲弱情況下，有助提升香港競爭力措施將廣受歡迎，並相信可提高市場交投量。

施政報告提出的「專利盒」稅務優惠措施亦符合公會早前建議，旨在鼓勵在香港採用及發展知識產權，並可提升香港此範疇整體競爭力。這措施與其他知識產權相關倡議將有效支持香港相關研究和研發活動。

公會亦欣然知悉政府致力深化大灣區金融合作。公會認為，此舉能擴大香港金融機構在大灣區的業務範圍，將進一步增強和豐富香港的金融市場。推動兩地交流和人才合作措施也將有助緩解目前本港正面對人才短缺壓力。

就會計行業的發展而言，在內地人口達14億，中國注冊會計師協會（CICPA）會員僅約30萬名，而公會會員則逾4.7萬名會員。公會積極與大灣區政府部門合作，共同推動相關政策倡導，如爭取香港執業會計師在大灣區執業以把握機遇，並在廣東省推廣認可香港註冊會計師為「高端人才」相關措施。

展望將來，公會將繼續培訓和發展香港的會計專業，並為行業的重要議題進行倡議，繼續促進會計專業為香港及內地長遠經濟發展作出貢獻。