Hong Kong’s finance chief has launched a strategic offensive to forge closer business ties with South Korea, with investors showing interest in the city’s latest cryptocurrency policy and its role as a “superconnector” to international markets amid geopolitical tensions.

Concluding a three-day visit to Seoul on Thursday, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po proposed a direct cross-listing of exchange-traded funds and highlighted the city’s use of exclusive, high-risk financial products as a new tool to secure Korean capital, according to his weekly blog.

“Overall, in recent years, due to the impact of the pandemic and geopolitical factors, they have come to Hong Kong less frequently, which has resulted in certain discrepancies in their understanding of the situation in Hong Kong,” Chan wrote on Sunday.

The bay area is Beijing’s scheme to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in neighbouring Guangdong province into an economic and business powerhouse.

Throughout his meetings with senior officials, including the chairman of South Korea’s Financial Services Commission and the governor of the Bank of Korea, Chan emphasised Hong Kong’s enduring role as a “superconnector” and “super value-adder”.

Chan detailed his discussions with Seoul’s financial leaders, where he also sought to reassure them of Hong Kong’s stability and unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” framework.