Hong Kong (China) unlocks new opportunities with Central Asia
Led by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), John Lee, a high-level delegation visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (May 31 - June 5) is already paying dividends, forging fresh opportunities to deepen ties between Central Asia, Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.
The business delegation comprised over 70 representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises of various sectors.
During the visit, 96 bilateral memoranda of understanding and agreements were reached, including a total of 15 co-operation documents at the government level between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively.
A high-level Hong Kong business delegation's visit to Kazakhstan has unlocked new opportunities.
"The examples of agreements and co-operation are just so abundant that they range from the service sector to heavy industries such as mining and infrastructure development," Mr Lee said. "I think the sky is the limit."
The multiple outcomes achieved during the trip demonstrate Hong Kong's role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, as the city actively plays its roles as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" to promote broader and deeper co-operation between the two places and establish a hub-to-hub co-operation model.
"Kazakhstan is an important commercial and logistics hub connecting China and Europe. It is also the place where the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed, and is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Central Asia. There are broad prospects for further co-operation," Mr Lee said, adding that a lot of B&R projects are also being pursued in Uzbekistan.
"For example, Uzbekistan sits in the heart of the corridor of Asia and Europe, so logistical development, railway development, and also how we can complement and supplement each other in cargo handling will be an area for a very wide range of co-operation."
New partnerships have emerged following a high-level Hong Kong business delegation's visit to Uzbekistan.
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The Chief Executive also encouraged companies in Central Asia to leverage Hong Kong's advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle.
"Under this unique principle, Hong Kong has its own economic, social, legal, legislative and judicial systems. We are the only common law jurisdiction in China. We have our own currency, with no capital or foreign exchange controls. We are, as well, a separate customs territory," Mr Lee said.
Building on the positive outcomes from the delegation's mission to Central Asia, Mr Lee welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbayev, to Hong Kong (June 10) and they both attended the Alatau City Investment Round Table (June 11).
Speaking at the event, Mr Lee said Hong Kong could contribute to the future success of Kazakhstan's innovative, high-tech Alatau City in three concrete ways: as a gateway to global capital; a gateway to the Chinese Mainland and the Greater Bay Area; and as a partner in talent and technology.
"We share a development vision with Alatau City and Kazakhstan," Mr Lee said, "Today, right here, right now, is a golden opportunity to bring our two economies closer together."
He looked forward to Hong Kong and Kazakhstan achieving complementary advantages and co-ordinated development across different sectors and welcomed enterprises in Kazakhstan to make good use of Hong Kong's premier financial and innovation and technology platforms, as well as its world-leading professional services, to explore more business opportunities.
Information Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
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