Guo Ji Jin Rong Bao·2025-10-17 11:21Core Viewpoint - Alibaba and Ant Group have jointly invested $925 million (approximately 6.6 billion RMB) to acquire a 13-story commercial office building in Hong Kong, signaling their commitment to expanding international business and confidence in Hong Kong's role as a global financial center [1][3]. Group 1: Investment and Expansion - The investment aims to establish headquarters for both companies in Hong Kong, leveraging the city's advantages in talent, capital markets, and cultural innovation [1]. - Alibaba has been active in Hong Kong since its inception, with significant milestones including the launch of Taobao in 2005 and Alibaba Cloud in 2014, as well as a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2019 [1]. - Ant Group has also been deeply involved in Hong Kong, launching AlipayHK in 2017, which currently serves over 4.5 million active users [3]. Group 2: Strategic Importance of Hong Kong - Both companies view Hong Kong as a critical hub for their global strategies, with Alibaba's chairman expressing confidence in the local economy and business environment [1]. - Ant Group's chairman highlighted the importance of Hong Kong's entrepreneurial atmosphere and its role as a bridge between China and global markets, indicating plans for further investment and talent acquisition [3]. - The establishment of a local headquarters is seen as a way to support the development of Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology center [3].