On March 2, 2016, Guernsey, a British Crown dependency, established a representative office in Hong Kong to leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages as an international financial centre and a gateway to the Mainland market, promoting Guernsey's financial services in the Asia-Pacific region in areas such as trusts, investment funds, insurance and banking.

    Located in the Channel Islands near the French coastline in the English Channel, Guernsey has close ties with the UK and Europe while maintaining legislative and fiscal independence. Guernsey covers an administrative area of 78 square kilometres with a population of about 65,000. It is one of the three major British Crown dependencies. The island hosts several hundred financial services companies offering a wide range of financial products and services, and is one of the international regional financial centres.

    Howard Flight, a member of the UK House of Lords; Dominic Wheatley, Chief Executive of Guernsey Finance; and HKSAR government officials attended the unveiling ceremony of Guernsey's Hong Kong office.

    Flight, who has worked in both Hong Kong and Guernsey, said Guernsey is an important gateway for overseas investors to Europe and the UK, and that Guernsey's establishment of an office in Hong Kong can strengthen commercial ties between the two places to their mutual benefit.

    Wheatley said Guernsey's financial industry is increasingly interested in Asia and is very excited about opening a Hong Kong office. Hong Kong is the financial centre not only of China but of the whole of Southeast Asia, and he believes that establishing an office in Asia not only reflects the industry's trend but is also extremely important for the future strategy of Guernsey's financial services industry.

    Charles Ng, Associate Director-General of Invest Hong Kong, said Hong Kong is not only an international financial centre but also an important financial hub for the Mainland's engagement with the world. This unique role highlights Hong Kong's position among global financial centres and is what attracts major financial institutions such as Guernsey Finance to establish a presence in Hong Kong.

    Liu Yongjie, General Manager of China Captive Network, was invited to attend the event and exchanged views with Howard Flight, Dominic Wheatley and other Guernsey government officials.