The Chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group Allan Zeman on Wednesday called on businesses to invest in Hong Kong as the Belt and Road Initiative presents an unprecedented opportunity for economic cooperation in the SAR.

Zeman delivered a speech at the Belt and Road forum as a member of Chief Executive John Lee’s delegation attending the two-day Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

He told forum participants that the initiative has created business opportunities for Hong Kong.

“If you want to do business, as you are going to do business in China, most companies around the world are setting up offices in Hong Kong, headquarters in Hong Kong,” Zeman said.

“We have ‘One Country, Two systems’, [the] common law system – another thing that is really, really important, same as the rest of the world – an independent judiciary, and the free flow of capital coming in and out.”

Zeman also said that the territory is home to many top universities, and can foster intellectual exchanges across borders.

“There are tremendous opportunities with the universities between the Belt and Road. We can have exchange of students, exchanges of people who can come to Hong Kong, and really learn the Chinese way, the Hong Kong way, the international way.”