HONG KONG -- As of the end of January this year, Hong Kong's New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme received over 3,000 applications, Christopher Hui, secretary for financial services and the treasury of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, said on Wednesday.

Hui said that more than 1,600 applications have already been formally approved, with investments involving stocks, debt securities, certificates of deposit, eligible collective investment schemes, limited partnership funds, and certain restricted real estate.

If all 3,000 applications are approved, the potential investment amount would exceed 90 billion HK dollars (about $11.51 billion), he added.