23-31    Number of Companies in Hong Kong that are Regional Offices
by Country/Territory of Incorporation of the Parent Company
(Number of companies in Hong Kong that are regional offices)
Country/territory of incorporation	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001
of the parent company
Japan	379	347	368	492	533
The United States	261	285	278	358	420
The Mainland of China	130	135	136	160	172
United Kingdom	130	128	124	155	163
Taiwan,China	49	85	97	113	142
Germany	78	74	76	93	108
France	65	76	74	88	88
Singapore	44	37	39	76	77
Republic of Korea	80	66	56	71	76
Switzerland	42	54	50	69	68
Netherlands	47	46	48	65	62
Sweden	23	15	18	23	27
Canada	24	23	25	30	34
Italy	24	36	47	43	52
Australia	33	38	29	42	43
Others	207	192	190	271	233
Total①	1616	1637	1655	2149	2298
	(1611)	(1630)	(1650)	(2146)	(2293)
Notes: Figures refer to 1 June of the year.
A regional office (RO) is an office that coordinates offices/operations in the region (i.e. Hong Kong plus one or more other places), and manages
the business but with frequent referrals to its parent company outside Hong Kong or its regional headquarters.
① The total number of companies that are regional offices by country/territory of incorporation of parent company in this table may be greater
than the actual number because some companies are  joint ventures undertaken by two or more investors. The actual number for respective
years is given in brackets.