Global financial executives have voiced confidence in Hong Kong’s role as a bridge between mainland China and the rest of the world and as a safe haven helping businesses and investors navigate geopolitical tensions and shifting global capital flows.

Speaking at the city’s annual Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit on Tuesday, banking leaders discussed how financial institutions were rethinking business and operational strategies in an increasingly uncertain environment, while highlighting Hong Kong’s position as an international financial hub that facilitated international capital flows and helped companies adapt to geopolitical realignments.

Jean Lemierre, chairman of BNP Paribas, said European companies operating in Asia were increasingly seeking local funding and currency-hedging capabilities to manage volatility in regional markets.

At the same time, Chinese companies expanding into Europe needed access to euro financing and support in navigating local regulations and environmental, social and governance reporting requirements.

“Hong Kong is becoming more and more [important for yuan] funding and a key bridge between China and Europe for me,” Lemierre said, adding that the city was increasingly serving as a hub for funding and related services.

The biggest player and where we’re seeing the most change is around the role of China, and Hong Kong is the gateway to thatRonald O’Hanley, State Street Ronald O’Hanley, chairman and CEO of State Street, said global trade was not undergoing deglobalisation so much as “reglobalisation”, as businesses adjusted their supply chains and financing arrangements to build greater resilience.

“The biggest player and where we’re seeing the most change is around the role of China, and Hong Kong is the gateway to that,” O’Hanley said, highlighting the city’s role in facilitating capital flows between mainland and international markets.

The comments come as global investors increasingly look within Asia for opportunities, while Hong Kong stands to benefit from growing demand for regional diversification and access to mainland Chinese assets.

The city, meanwhile, has rolled out supportive measures to attract investors and global financial institutions as it seeks to strengthen its status as an international financial centre and expand its role as a hub for offshore yuan, gold, shipping and technology.

This year’s investment summit, running from Tuesday to Thursday under the theme “Rethinking the Playbook”, is the largest gathering of group-level executives since the inaugural summit in 2022.

It has brought together about 280 financial leaders from around the world, including about 120 group chairmen and CEOs from some of the world’s largest banks, asset managers and investment firms.

C.S. Venkatakrishnan, CEO of Barclays, said Hong Kong’s close links with mainland China were important to its role as an international financial centre connecting domestic and international finance.

“Bridge financial centres have hinterlands. New York has the United States. London has Europe in some shape or form,” he said. “The link of Hong Kong to China … is very important.”He added that international financial centres needed to maintain “fair and transparent regulation to promote growth, and to make it easier for people to operate”, so that international finance would not become entangled in geopolitical divisions.

Speaking about geographic diversification, HSBC CEO Georges Elhedery made the case for “Asia buys Asia”, pointing to growing financial and investment flows within the region, at a separate panel on investment diversification.

Zhang Hui, vice-chairman and president of Bank of China, highlighted Hong Kong’s advantages as a global offshore yuan business hub and a “superconnector” linking mainland China with international markets.

Its established financial infrastructure and access to deep offshore yuan liquidity made the city an important platform for international investors seeking exposure to Chinese assets, Zhang said during the same discussion with Elhedery.