Businessman Irons Sze on Monday said Hong Kong's position as an international financial centre is attributed to China's reform and opening up and reinforced by the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.

Sze, a Standing Committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said the SAR plays a vital role in the country's development.

"As of the end of 2024, 1,478 mainland enterprises were listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, accounting for more than 80 percent of the total market value and 90 percent of daily transactions," he told reporters in Beijing.

On the shipping front, Sze said Hong Kong's ports handled 13 million standard containers in 2024, with 40 percent of cargo coming from the mainland and 60 percent destined for the mainland.

He concluded by saying that Hong Kong's future lies in its integration with the mainland, and the city would continue to contribute to the nation's development with its unique advantages.