James Lau Forges Financial Ties

Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury James Lau continued his visit to San Francisco yesterday, learning more about financial technology and speaking at a business luncheon.

He visited Wells Fargo Innovation Labs and met its Head of Strategic Payment Solutions Ashish Sharma.

Mr Lau learned about the bank's research projects and their application of fintech for a better customer experience.

He then spoke a luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in San Francisco, promoting Hong Kong as a premier global financial hub in Asia.

He said Hong Kong has pledged to develop into a preferred listing platform for both initial public offerings and secondary listings.

He also highlighted Hong Kong's active role in enabling the financial services sector to capitalise on the vast opportunities presented by the global trend in green financing and the Belt & Road Initiative.

Mr Lau then visited the ClimateWorks Foundation and met its Director of Sustainable Finance Ilmi Granoff and Associate Director Tim Stumhofer.

He briefed them on Hong Kong's commitment to developing into a regional hub for green finance and its efforts in promoting the green bond market.

Mr Lau later attended a dinner with the Hong Kong Association of Northern California to learn more about the business environment in the San Francisco Bay Area.