Hong Kong opens its doors to Polish business. Indiana Wong: „You are a key partner for us”

Global supply chains are shifting, and Asian capital is actively seeking safe, high-potential markets. As the Polish economy solidifies its position within the global G20, Hong Kong offers domestic companies direct, dual access to financial markets—both its own and those in Mainland China. Indiana Wong, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin), discusses how to successfully tap into Asian investment funds, offer alternative to Western Europe’s logistical bottlenecks, and commercialize innovations.

Interview by: Adam Wyszyński, Editor-in-Chief of PKB24.pl

Przeczytaj ten wywiad po polsku [LINK].

Adam Wyszyński: In today’s era of profound geopolitical shifts, can we still confidently say that Hong Kong remains the definitive gateway to Asian markets and Mainland China?

Indiana Wong: Absolutely. Starting with pure geography—we are located in the very heart of Asia. Flights to key markets such as Japan, South Korea, Mainland China, Singapore, and Indonesia take a maximum of four to five hours. This strategic location makes us the natural entry point not just to China itself, but to the entire Asian market.

How can companies from Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, practically leverage this gateway? We are, after all, talking about access to massive capital and investors.

Our capital market is in excellent shape. Crucially, looking at the latest data for 2025, we ranked first globally in capital raised through initial public offerings (IPOs). We raised a total of over 30 billion euros from 110 listings. This is hard evidence of the immense trust global investors continue to place in Hong Kong.

We strongly encourage Polish companies to debut on our trading floors—whether through primary, secondary, or dual listings. It is the fastest route to a deep pool of liquidity. We also host a vast number of family offices actively seeking compelling early-stage projects for angel investments. Moreover, we must remember our biggest unique advantage: we are the only city in the world offering direct access to Mainland Chinese capital. Through the connection schemes with the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, investors from China can directly invest in companies listed in Hong Kong. Our financial regulation is highly pro-business; our goal is to facilitate operations, not multiply barriers.

Which areas of innovation currently offer the greatest potential for tangible business cooperation between Hong Kong and Poland?

I would point to two highly absorptive sectors. The first is the broad field of life sciences, where Hong Kong is a true powerhouse. A prime example is the non-invasive prenatal testing technology utilizing maternal blood, developed by one of our professors in the early 2000s. This method revolutionized diagnostics and is now the gold standard worldwide, including in Poland. Currently, building on this same technological foundation, we are bringing to market tests capable of early detection for about ten types of cancer.

The second natural area for collaboration is fintech. We have just introduced a regulatory regime for stablecoins. We are not talking about highly speculative, algorithm-backed cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but digital money fully backed by traditional fiat currency. This mechanism offers alternative to the traditional banking system, allowing settlements between Europe and Asia to occur instantly, 24/7. This is a massive operational facilitation for businesses.

Let’s turn to supply chains. From Hong Kong’s perspective, what do the logistical challenges and opportunities in Central Europe look like today?

In global logistics, Hong Kong is a heavyweight. Our cargo airport processes over 5 million tons of freight annually, securing our position as a global leader. We are also a massive maritime hub. Historically, our trade with Europe relied heavily on ports in Hamburg or Rotterdam. However, given the current global geopolitical landscape, everyone is looking to diversify risk.

And this is where Poland enters the picture. You are located in the center of the continent, you possess excellent ports, and a highly developed railway network. For us, this is a new, key market that we want to engage with much more deeply. I see tremendous potential for cooperation here.

You mentioned geopolitics. In these turbulent times, how does Hong Kong plan to maintain its role as the global „connector” between East and West?

Our foundation remains unchanged and highly stable. We guarantee predictability, the free flow of capital and information, a legal system based on common law, and a very low, transparent tax regime.

From a business standpoint, it is straightforward: by setting up a holding company in Hong Kong, an entrepreneur can consolidate their entire Asian operations there, and seamlessly transfer generated profits back to Poland without friction. If any Polish company is considering an operational center in Asia, Hong Kong is the number one destination. Furthermore, we can assist in commercializing technologies from Polish research institutes and introducing them to the Asian market through our powerful innovation hubs.

Finally: in your opinion, what could our economies learn from each other?

Poland’s economic growth is phenomenal. Aside from China, you are likely the only economy in the world that has grown so consistently over the past 20 years to join the ranks of the G20. We can definitely learn from your perseverance, work ethic, and ambition.

In turn, we offer extreme efficiency, stability, and reliability. The partnership is on the table: Hong Kong is your gateway to Asia, and Poland is our gateway to Europe.