Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui, along with the SFC's Executive Director of Investment Products, Carrie Ng, and HKEX CEO, Bonnie Chan, met with the National Financial Regulatory Administration's Vice Chairman, Xiao Yuanqi, on August 18 to discuss measures for deepening collaboration between the mainland and Hong Kong capital markets.

The NFRA has announced its strong backing for mainland insurance funds to participate in the financial market connectivity between the two regions, specifically supporting mainland insurers in investing in Hong Kong-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) through the Shanghai-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect. The Hong Kong SAR government has warmly welcomed this new policy.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee expressed his gratitude: "I sincerely thank the Central People's Government and the NFRA for their support. The nation's 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly backs Hong Kong in consolidating its status as an international financial center, enhancing its roles as a global offshore RMB hub, an international asset and wealth management center, and an international risk management center. Building on the proven track record of mainland insurance funds investing in Hong Kong stocks via Stock Connect, these new measures will further facilitate mainland insurers in diversifying their asset allocation through Hong Kong, promote the growth of the local ETF market, and strengthen the local ETF ecosystem. These measures represent strong support from the nation for the development of Hong Kong's capital markets and asset management industry. The SAR government will continue to leverage Hong Kong's advantages under 'One Country, Two Systems' to connect with the world, optimize the mutual market access mechanisms, and work closely with mainland regulators to deepen market cooperation. We are now accelerating the formulation of Hong Kong's first five-year development plan, sparing no effort in its preparation, seizing national development opportunities, serving the nation's high-level financial opening-up, and better integrating into the national development strategy."

Financial Secretary Paul Chan stated: "Allowing mainland insurance funds to invest in Hong Kong ETFs through Stock Connect is a win-win move: it provides mainland insurers with a broader and more diverse investment channel, spurs the development of Hong Kong's exchange-traded products market, and further strengthens the linkage and coordinated growth of the two capital markets. In recent years, we have actively promoted the ETP market, including nurturing and expanding innovative products like active ETFs and encouraging cross-border listings of overseas ETFs in Hong Kong. Trading volumes of ETPs have repeatedly hit new highs: in 2025, average daily turnover nearly doubled year-on-year, and in the first half of this year, it rose by over 25% again, making Hong Kong a leading hub for such products in the region. With the strong support of central ministries, ETFs were included in Stock Connect in 2022, and trading volumes have surged over the years, with average daily turnover in the first half of this year reaching about 12 times that of the initial launch period. We will continue to work hand-in-hand with financial regulators and market stakeholders to make this market bigger and more competitive, creating new asset allocation channels and investment opportunities for investors at home and abroad."