May 30, 20182018 Business Outlook SurveyPage 1
CONTENTS
Foreword2
Executive Summary3
Competitiveness5
Greater Bay Area11
The Innovation Economy15
About the Survey18
May 30, 20182018 Business Outlook SurveyPage 2
Foreword
HONGKONGisabastionofopenandfairmarkets,goodgovernance
andtheruleoflaw,allofwhichcombinetocreateavibrantandopen
society.Thiscombinationisthebedrockofthiscity’sextraordinary
riseintooneoftheworld’strulyglobalcommercialhubs.Excellent
infrastructure,thedeeppoolofworld-classprofessionalservices,and
ourroleasanexusforChinaandAsiatradeareanotherspecialmix
that adds to Hong Kong’s unique set of competitive advantages.
InournewannualBusinessSentimentSurvey,AmCham’smembers
haveclearlysignalledthegreatvaluethattheinternationalbusinesscommunityplaceson
theseattributes.Butthereisnotimeforcomplacency.Thesurveyshowsconcernthatthe
governmentremainsopaqueandrequiresgreaterefficiencytoembracechange.Some
factorsarebeyondHKChiefExecutiveOfficerCarrieLam’scontrol–suchasU.S.-Chinaties
orBeijingpolicyuncertainties.Nonetheless,wehopeleaderstakenoteofthefindingsand
makeeveryefforttoupholdthevaluesandinstitutionsthatmakethisSpecial
Administrative Region the jewel of Asia.
Tara Joseph, AmCham President
TIMESofgreatchangepresentachallengeforbothgovernmentsand
businessleadersplottingacoursethroughunchartedterritory.Atsuch
times,itisessentialtostepback,surveytheterrainandsilencethe
noisefromnewsandsocialmedia,marketingandrhetoric.Wewere
delighted,therefore,topartnerwithAmChamincreatinganewannual
surveytogaugetheconcerns,hopesandexpectationsofHongKong’s
internationalbusinesscommunity.This,ourfirst,setsimportant
benchmarks:AsthebiggestinternationalchamberinHongKong,the
viewsexpressedinthissurveyareavalidandgenuinerepresentation
of the global business community.
Markus Scherer, Consulting Director,
Ipsos Business Consulting
May 30, 20182018 Business Outlook SurveyPage 3
Executive Summary
●70%ofrespondentssayHongKongretainsitscoreattractionasaglobalbusinesshub,
citingthecity’sdeeppoolofworld-classprofessionalservicesanditsconnectivitynot
just with China but to other Asian markets.
●Governmenttransparency,ruleoflawandfreeflowofinformation,togetherwith
business-friendlypoliciesarethemostimportantfactorsbehindHongKongremaining
an international business center, followed very closely by the availability of talent.
●Butwhilethegovernancefactorisourbiggestadvantage,thereareconcernsitis
underthreatfromthebureaucraticmindsetHKChiefExecutiveCarrieLamhasvowed
todefeat.Memberssawrisksfromredtapeandbureaucracyasbyfarthebiggest
obstacleseenfacingHK’sattemptstoleadinthesmartcityrace(60%rankedittheir
top concern, vs 33% for uncertainties over China’s laws.)
Note: N indicates the number of responses received.。