Beijing has expressed full confidence in Hong Kong's economic and investment outlook and has again given assurances that the city’s governing principle of “One Country, Two Systems” is here to stay, according to a group of local and foreign business chamber representatives.

The members, who visited Beijing earlier this month, said they had productive exchanges with Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.

The delegation included members of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, as well as several foreign commerce chamber chiefs in the city, such as those of Germany, Britain, Canada and Italy.

Agnes Chan, deputy chairwoman of the general chamber, said the central government values the city’s contribution to the finance sphere being as it is the country’s international financial centre, adding that Beijing has full confidence in Hong Kong's future.

Describing Hong Kong's post-Covid recovery as “slower-than-expected”, lawmaker Jeffrey Lam said most Hong Kong enterprises hold “cautiously positive” views on the business outlook next year, with 36 percent of respondents to a recent survey expecting their revenues to improve.

Many of the foreign chambers described their meeting as “unscripted” and “engaging”, with Inaki Amate of the European Chamber of Commerce saying they conveyed their key concerns to Beijing, including how to “reinforce Hong Kong’s unique position as an international hub” and how to “diversify talent”.