The number of firms choosing Hong Kong for their regional headquarters has reached an all-time high despite SARS and difficult economic conditions, the latest government figures showed yesterday.
There were 966 regional headquarters and 2,241 regional offices in Hong Kong of companies incorporated outside the territory as at June 2, according to results of this year's annual survey of overseas companies in Hong Kong conducted by the Census and Statistics Department.
The corresponding numbers as at June 1 last year were 948 for regional headquarters and 2,171 for regional offices.
Mike Rowse, director-general of investment promotion at Invest Hong Kong, said the figures showed "Hong Kong's economy is on the track towards recovery."
He said the signing of a trade deal, known as a Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), between Hong Kong and China also "creates considerable potential for Hong Kong to strengthen its position as a center for value-added manufacturing and high quality services for the China market."
"We expect that this will attract more companies to invest here and increase their presence in Hong Kong," Rowse said.
The US topped the list of countries with companies having regional headquarters in Hong Kong, with 242 companies having regional headquarters in Hong Kong, followed by Japan with 168 companies and Britain with 86 companies.
According to the survey, there were a total of 2,207 local offices in Hong Kong of companies incorporated outside the territory as at June 2.
The corresponding number as at June 1 last year was 1,748.
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