HONG KONG -- Hong Kong's talent-related initiatives have received enthusiastic response since implementation, with over 100,000 talent admission applications approved by the end of September, an official said Monday.

Approximately 60,000 approved talent visa holders have arrived in Hong Kong, surpassing the target of bringing in at least 35,000 talents annually, Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, told a forum.

Hong Kong is willing to work hand in hand with other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), strengthening collaborative efforts in talent development, and contributing to the development of the GBA and the nation, he said.

As of the end of September, Hong Kong's various talent attraction programs received approximately 160,000 applications, of which about one-third were applications for the "Top Talent Pass Scheme."

The scheme seeks to attract top talents with rich work experience and good academic qualifications from all over the world to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. These top talents include high-income talents and graduates from the world's top universities.

Apart from actively nurturing and retaining local talent, the HKSAR government proactively trawls for talent to create a strong impetus for Hong Kong's growth. A series of talent attraction measures announced in the Policy Address has been implemented since Dec 28, 2022. They include introducing the top talent scheme as well as enhancing existing talent admission schemes.