CE to lead delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, will lead a business delegation to visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on May 31 to strengthen exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and Central Asia in areas including finance, trade, infrastructure, innovation and technology (I&T), and green development. The visit also aims to create new trade corridors and explore emerging market opportunities.
Mr Lee said that Central Asia enjoys rapid economic development, abundant natural resources, and immense market potential, offering a vast scope for collaboration with Hong Kong. Kazakhstan is a major economy in Central Asia. It is an important commercial and logistics hub connecting China and Europe, accounting for around 60 per cent of the region's Gross Domestic Product, and is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Central Asia. Uzbekistan is located at the heart of Central Asia, bordering all Central Asian states and is the most populous country in the region. It is not only an important economic powerhouse, but also a key partner for Hong Kong in expanding its presence in the Central Asian market.
Mr Lee noted that this delegation is the largest of its kind in the current term of the Government, covering the largest number of participants and the broadest range of sectors, and would further deepen international exchanges and co-operation. The delegation comprises over 40 Hong Kong business and professional representatives and about 30 representatives of Mainland enterprises, covering such sectors as industry and business, finance, legal services, construction and engineering, logistics, I&T, advanced manufacturing, and the automotive industry. The delegation will further harness Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle in connecting the Mainland and the world, support Mainland enterprises in going global, and capitalise on complementary strengths. It will actively promote Hong Kong's advantages and investment opportunities to local business sectors, so as to attract Central Asian enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's platform for business expansion and better utilise Hong Kong's role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder".
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government officials joining the delegation include the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, Ms Carol Yip; and the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong, among others.
Mr Lee will start his visit in Kazakhstan, before proceeding to Uzbekistan on June 3. During the visit, Mr Lee will meet with senior government officials of the two countries to enhance government-to-government and high-level communication, lead the delegation in connecting with local business sectors, introduce Hong Kong's advantages, expand business networks, and visit enterprises and facilities to understand the latest developments and explore co-operation opportunities.
Mr Lee will return to Hong Kong on June 6. In his absence, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, will be the Acting Chief Executive.
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
