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Commerce and Industry
In 2017, Hong Kong's total services trade amounted to $1,412.6 billion, the world's 17th largest in value. The territory exported $810.3 billion worth of services, contributing to 30.4 per cent of GDP, compiled based on the change of ownership principle. It ranked fifth in the region after the Mainland, Japan, India and Singapore in total value of services exported, and 15th in the world.
The main components of Hong Kong's exports of services in 2017 were in travel and transport, accounting for 32 per cent and 29.2 per cent respectively of the total value. The territory is a net exporter of services and had an overall surplus of $208.1 billion in 2017, recording surpluses of $60.4 billion and $99.5 billion in travel and transport respectively.
Inward Direct Investment
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's World Investment Report 2017, Hong Kong was the fourth largest recipient of foreign direct investment flow in the world in 2016, after the US, the United Kingdom and the Mainland. The External Direct Investment Statistics of Hong Kong 2016 report, released by the Census and Statistics Department, indicated Hong Kong's FDI inflow in 2016 amounted to $1,034.1 billion. At the end of 2016, the position of direct investment liabilities' totalled $14,142.2 billion. Chart 2 shows selected major investor countries and territories of the inward direct investment. The British Virgin Islands was the largest, accounting for 34.2 per cent of the total. Chart 3 shows the major economic activities of Hong Kong enterprise groups2. Those engaged in investment and holding, real estate, professional and business services took up the largest share, at 67.5 per cent of the total.
A survey covering some 8,200 companies in Hong Kong with parent companies located outside Hong Kong found 3,752 of them had regional headquarters or regional offices here as at June 2017.
1 According to the latest international statistical standards, the FDI inflow and the position of direct investment liabilities presented in this paragraph are compiled based on the asset/liability principle, while detailed inward direct investment figures analysed by selected major country/territory and by major economic activity of Hong Kong enterprise groups presented in charts 2 and 3 respectively are based on the directional principle. Owing to the adoption of different presentation principles, the aggregate position of direct investment liabilities is different from the overall totals of the detailed inward direct investment figures by selected major country/territory or by major economic activity of Hong Kong enterprise groups.
2
A Hong Kong enterprise group consists mainly of a Hong Kong parent company and its Hong Kong subsidiaries, associates and branches.
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