Hong Kong's Economic Chief Celebrates Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur, Strengthening Bilateral Ties and Trade Relations.

2026-01-30 20:46 Last Updated At：21:23

SCED promotes Hong Kong's unique advantages as two-way platform in Malaysia

The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, on his visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today (January 30) officiated at a Chinese New Year dinner hosted by the newly established Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur ETO) to celebrate the festive season with various sectors of the local community and deepen links between the two places.

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SCED promotes Hong Kong's unique advantages as two-way platform in Malaysia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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SCED promotes Hong Kong's unique advantages as two-way platform in Malaysia Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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This was the first-ever large-scale event organised by the new ETO in Kuala Lumpur after its establishment last December. Speaking to some 400 guests at the dinner, Mr Yau thanked the Malaysian government for supporting the setting up of the ETO in the capital city, adding that it is an important milestone in the already close and solid ties between Malaysia and Hong Kong, and also a clear testament to the shared commitment to deepening bilateral co-operation. From January to October 2025, bilateral trade reached US$21.5 billion, making both places among each other's top 10 trading partners.

Mr Yau highlighted that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a whole is also rapidly emerging as a strong global economic power, projected to become the world's fourth-largest economic bloc by 2030. As Hong Kong's fourth ETO in ASEAN, the Kuala Lumpur ETO will also be responsible for advancing Hong Kong's economic and trade ties with Brunei Darussalam, Laos and Pakistan, and is therefore playing a strategic role for Hong Kong to deepen engagement in this dynamic region.

While Malaysia plays an important role in linking ASEAN with the wider global economy, Mr Yau said that Hong Kong serves as both a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" under the "one country, two systems" principle to connect the Chinese Mainland with the world. He also shared with the guests Hong Kong's latest initiatives to give full play to the city's role as a two-way platform.

"We launched a dedicated task force in October last year, under my steer, to co-ordinate the efforts of our Government and our executive agencies to provide more focused, tailor-made support to help enterprises on the Chinese Mainland to expand globally. They can fully utilise the strengths of Hong Kong's professional services, as well as our global connections, to extend their operations overseas," he said.

Meanwhile, the number of companies coming from outside Hong Kong rose to 11 000 in 2025, representing an 11 per cent growth and a record high. Mr Yau noted that those from overseas countries did not come solely for Hong Kong's domestic market but also for the huge market potential on the Chinese Mainland, especially the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. He encouraged Malaysian enterprises to make use of Hong Kong as a platform to expand their businesses to the Chinese Mainland. A dedicated team for attracting businesses and talents to be set up in the Kuala Lumpur ETO will also provide assistance.

Dignitaries attending the dinner included the Minister of Transport of Malaysia, Mr Anthony Loke; the Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr Ouyang Yujing; the President of the Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association, Dato' Dixon Chew, and other business leaders. Representatives from the local government, media and cultural sectors also attended.

Earlier in the day, Mr Yau had a lunch meeting with the Deputy Minister of Finance of Malaysia, Mr Liew Chin Tong, and the Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Sim Tze Tzin, to give them an update on Hong Kong's latest developments and to exchange views on various economic and trade issues. Before the lunch meeting, Mr Yau toured a historic building to gain a deeper appreciation of the history and heritage of Malaysia.

Mr Yau also paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, to brief him on Hong Kong's new measures for attracting enterprises and investment to inject economic impetus, including the Northern Metropolis development and thesetting up of the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global. They also exchanged views on strengthening collaboration between the two places with the establishment of the Kuala Lumper ETO.

During the visit, Mr Yau took the opportunity to visit a potential site for the ETO's long-term office to learn more about the preparatory work. He was also briefed by the ETO staff on their efforts to establish local connections since the ETO has commenced operations.

Mr Yau will return to Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon (January 31).

Hong Kong Customs Seizes 50kg of Drugs Worth $19 Million, Arrests Three Passengers at Airport

Hong Kong Customs detects three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at airport

Hong Kong Customs for two consecutive days (January 29 and 30) detected three drug trafficking cases involving passengers at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 9 kilograms of suspected heroin and about 41kg of suspected ketamine, with a total estimated market value of about $19 million. Three males were arrested. Customs officers also seized three sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes from the carry-on baggage of one of the males.

The first case involved a 31-year-old male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand, via Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, yesterday (January 29). During Customs clearance, Customs officers found the batch of suspected heroin, weighing about 9kg with an estimated market value of about $5 million, in his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the second case, a 34-year-old male passenger arriving in Hong Kong from Berlin, Germany, via Doha, Qatar, yesterday. During Customs clearance, Customs officers found about 20kg of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of about $7 million, in his check-in suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.

In the third case, a 35-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Brussels, Belgium, today (January 30). During Customs clearance, Customs officers found about 21kg of suspected ketamine, with an estimated market value of about $7 million, in his check-in suitcase. Three sticks of duty-not-paid cigarette were also found inside his carry-on baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.

The arrested men in the first two cases has each been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, while the arrested man in the third case has been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug, one count of possession of dutiable goods and one count of failing to declare to a member of the Customs and Excise Service. All cases will be brought up at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (January 31).

Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people.

Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong's Economic Chief Celebrates Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur, Strengthening Bilateral Ties and Trade Relations.

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