BABA(US:BABA) 中国基金报·2025-10-17 13:34Core Viewpoint - Alibaba and Ant Group announced a joint investment of $925 million (approximately 6.6 billion RMB) to acquire a 13-story commercial office building in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, establishing their headquarters in the city [2][4]. Group 1: Investment and Strategic Intent - The establishment of the Hong Kong headquarters is seen as a strategic move to expand international business and signals confidence in Hong Kong's role as a global financial center and innovation hub [4]. - Alibaba's Chairman, Daniel Zhang, emphasized the importance of Hong Kong as a market, citing its professional talent pool, robust capital market, and innovative culture as key advantages [4]. - Ant Group's Chairman, Eric Jing, highlighted the company's commitment to integrating into the Greater Bay Area's development and enhancing its presence in Hong Kong to support its global strategy [4][6]. Group 2: Historical Context and Market Presence - Alibaba has been active in Hong Kong since its founding in 1999, with significant milestones including the launch of Taobao and Alibaba Cloud in 2005 and 2014, respectively [5]. - In 2019, Alibaba completed a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and plans to transition to a primary listing in 2024, becoming the first Chinese tech company to be dual-listed in New York and Hong Kong [5]. - Ant Group has also established a strong presence in Hong Kong, launching AlipayHK in 2017, which now serves over 4.5 million active users [6].