A high-level delegation from Hong Kong, led by Chief Executive John Lee, has returned from a visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with 96 bilateral memoranda of understanding and agreements, signaling a deepening of ties between Central Asia, Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland. The delegation, comprising over 70 representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises, visited from May 31 to June 5, forging opportunities across multiple sectors.
The agreements span a wide range of industries, from services to heavy industries such as mining and infrastructure development. "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 visit included the signing of 15 co-operation documents at the government level with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively.
The outcomes demonstrate Hong Kong's role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, positioning the city as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" to promote broader co-operation between the regions. "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. He added that many B&R projects are also being pursued in Uzbekistan, particularly in logistics, railway development, and cargo handling.
Mr Lee encouraged Central Asian companies to leverage Hong Kong's advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, highlighting its common law system, currency without capital controls, and separate customs territory. Building on the delegation's outcomes, Mr Lee welcomed Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev to Hong Kong on June 10, and both attended the Alatau City Investment Round Table on June 11. At the event, Mr Lee outlined three ways Hong Kong could contribute to Kazakhstan's Alatau City: 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 expressed hope for complementary advantages and co-ordinated development across sectors, and welcomed Kazakh enterprises to use Hong Kong's financial and innovation platforms to explore business opportunities. For more information, visit Brand Hong Kong.
