King Leung, global head of financial services and fintech at Invest Hong Kong, is leading the delegation to help Chinese companies use Hong Kong as a base to expand into the Saudi market.

The goal is to strengthen economic ties between Hong Kong, China, and Saudi Arabia.

A Hong Kong executive expressed optimism about potential co-investment opportunities between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia, citing synergy between businesses in both regions and the eagerness of Hong Kong investors to tap into the Saudi market.

Hong Kong delegates, including private sector leaders and venture capitalists, are exploring collaboration opportunities that align with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives.

The executive noted that there is a significant number of potential partnerships to be forged.

The text discusses the anticipated large number of investments in Saudi Arabia, particularly in megaprojects like NEOM and King Salman Park.

These projects are expected to have enormous markets and will attract significant business activities, initially in construction, but also in ancillary sectors such as financial services, consumer products, and payments.

The projects serve as catalysts for growth in these sectors.

The text discusses the excitement among investors from Hong Kong and China regarding the opportunities presented by Saudi Arabia's investment ecosystem.

The country's impressive GDP growth and low debt ratio are cited as factors that instill confidence among investors.

Green energy and advanced manufacturing sectors are highlighted as areas of interest, with Saudi Arabia being seen as a leader in clean energy.

Hong Kong-based companies, equipped with advanced technologies, are exploring opportunities to contribute to Saudi Arabia's sustainable development goals, specifically in the green hydrogen space.

The text discusses two areas of collaboration between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia: renewable energy and fintech.

In the renewable energy sector, a green hydrogen factory is being built in Saudi Arabia to harness solar power for hydrogen production.

This project is a result of the abundance of solar power in the region and the investment from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) and other funds.

In the fintech sector, Hong Kong companies are eager to bring their expertise to Saudi Arabia to enhance banking services and drive digital transformation initiatives.

The text mentions that there are around a dozen fintech companies in the Hong Kong delegation interested in setting up operations in Saudi Arabia to serve the local banks.

Saudi Arabian officials are looking to expand economic ties with China by establishing a presence for Saudi banks in Hong Kong.

This move aims to leverage Hong Kong's strategic position as a gateway to the Chinese market and facilitate trade and financial services.

Two Saudi banks have expressed interest in setting up operations in Hong Kong to serve Chinese customers and offer services like trade finance.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Invest Hong Kong and the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia last year, enhancing economic ties between the two regions.

Delegates from Hong Kong have gained valuable insights into Saudi Arabia's economic landscape and investment opportunities through educational sessions, leading to increased enthusiasm for collaboration and investment in the Kingdom.

The Hong Kong leader expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn about Saudi Arabia, from macroeconomic data to the vision of its leaders in both public and private sectors.

Leung and his delegation were impressed by the progress made on various projects in the country they visited.

They shared insights into already successful projects.

Overall, they were pleased with the advancements they observed.