HONG KONG  -- The cohosting of equestrian events of the Beijing Olympics is helping Hong Kong attract more investors, an official said Monday.

Speaking at a press conference on investment promotion, Mike Rowse, director general of investment promotion of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said Hong Kong is "proud to be a cohost city for the Beijing Olympics."

It is also helping make Hong Kong better known around the world, which is greatly helpful to investment promotion, Rowse said, adding that Hong Kong is increasingly an ideal base for accessing the mainland market for enterprises from outside, and a springboard for mainland firms to expand regionally and internationally.

By the end of June, InvestHK, an investment promotion arm, has assisted 148 overseas and mainland companies to invest or expand in Hong Kong, he said.