The following is issued on behalf of the Financial Services Development Council:

     The Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) today (October 11) welcomed the Government's plan to allocate more resources to the FSDC to enhance its role in promoting market development and nurturing talent in the Policy Address.
 
     In recognition of the work of the FSDC over the past four years, the Government set out in the Policy Address its plans to provide the FSDC with additional resources to strengthen its capacity in conducting strategic studies, providing advice, fostering market development and nurturing talent. In addition, echoing the FSDC's recommendations as set out in its 2016 report entitled "Hong Kong as a Regional Green Finance Hub", the Government also announced plans to take the lead in arranging the issuance of a green bond and promoting the establishment of green bond certification schemes in the Policy Address.
 
     The Chairman of the FSDC, Mrs Laura M Cha, said, "The FSDC is grateful for the recognition and welcomes the support by the Chief Executive and the Government in providing the FSDC with additional resources to foster the development of the financial services industry. Moreover, we are encouraged to see that the Government demonstrates clear commitment and leadership in promoting the development of green finance. Members of the FSDC will continue to work with the Government and other stakeholders on enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness in the international financial market."
 
About the FSDC
 
     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government established the FSDC in 2013 as a high-level, cross-sectoral advisory body to engage the industry in formulating proposals to promote the further development of Hong Kong’s financial services industry and to map out the strategic direction for development.
 
     The FSDC set up five committees, namely the Policy Research Committee, the Mainland Opportunities Committee, the New Business Committee, the Market Development Committee and the Human Capital Committee, as the five streams of its work.

Ends/Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:53

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