Jersey, the Channel Island tax haven, has established an office in Hong Kong and gained approval for its companies to list in the territory, underlining the strength of corporate demand for exposure to Asia's capital markets.
The move comes as a growing number of companies are looking to Asia to raise funds and gain access to abundant liquidity in the region.
There is an “active pipeline” of Jersey-domiciled companies looking to list in Hong Kong, said Geoff Cook, chief executive of Jersey Finance, the body that represents the island's finance industry. In particular, several Chinese companies listed on the London Stock Exchange's junior Aim market were considering dual-listings in Hong Kong, he said, as they sought to raise their profiles and attract investors near their home turf.