Doing business in Hong Kong 2019

The 2019 Doing Business in Hong Kong guide has been prepared to assist those who are interested in doing business in Hong Kong. It features topics such as setting up business entities in Hong Kong, import issues, tax and financial systems, financial reporting and audit standards, and labour and employment.

As a leading global financial centre and a historically open economy, it’s worth remembering that Hong Kong has been a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since 1997. But Hong Kong enjoys great autonomy from the mainland, and the city has retained its reputation for ease of doing business and free trade. It frequently attracts the attention of foreign investors looking for a foothold in the Asian market.

As an important banking and financial centre in the Asia Pacific region, Hong Kong Stock Exchange ranks the third in Asia and the fifth in the world in terms of market capitalization, as at 30 December 2018.

Hong Kong was the fourth-ranked location in the world in terms of ease of doing business according to the World Bank Doing Business Survey conducted in June 2018. Its simple, low-cost tax structure has made Hong Kong a natural regional hub for multinational companies doing business in Asia. In addition, Hong Kong is a free port and generally does not levy customs duties except for a very limited number of goods. Because of its attractive business environment, Hong Kong receives the second largest amount of foreign investment in Asia and the fourth largest in the world.

Hong Kong is also the perfect gateway to access the dynamic and emerging market of mainland China, attracting many leading international businesses to choose setting up their regional operations in Hong Kong.