Mainland companies are trying to capitalize and leverage on the irreplaceable advantages of Hong Kong's bridging role to go global on a large scale, while Hong Kong is also trying to enhance that role, a recent report has said.

Hong Kong has always been the first stopover destination for the majority of mainland companies expanding globally. The bulk of those companies' overseas foreign direct investment, or OFDI, goes through the city before moving on to other countries and regions.

According to China CITIC Bank International's China Economic Report released in June, Hong Kong had 47.8 percent and 61.6 percent of the investment flow and investment stock of the mainland's OFDI in 2011, respectively, making the city the biggest immediate investment destination for mainland companies expanding globally.