A large high-level business delegation led by John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), wrapped up a five-day visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on June 5, achieving what officials described as fruitful results in strengthening bilateral relations and deepening ties with Central Asia. The delegation of over 70 business and institutional leaders from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland was the largest and most diverse overseas mission led by the current HKSAR Government.
Speaking to the media in Uzbekistan on June 4, Lee outlined three main objectives: further exploring emerging markets and laying the foundation for long-term economic and trade development; strengthening government-to-government relationships and promoting closer bilateral cooperation; and building a hub-to-hub model of cooperation. He declared the visit successful, yielding achievements in eight areas including establishing high-level contacts, reaching 96 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding (61 with Kazakhstan, 35 with Uzbekistan) involving amounts exceeding US$1.65 billion, and advancing cooperation in finance, innovation and technology, aviation, and people-to-people exchanges.
In Tashkent, Lee met with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, and other senior officials to discuss deepening ties in trade, investment, and technology. Lee emphasized that under the 'one country, two systems' principle, Hong Kong enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage, positioning it as a 'super connector' and 'super value-adder' for Uzbekistan's high-quality development goals. He also highlighted the signing of a mutual visa-free arrangement allowing 30-day stays, and the initialing of an Air Services Agreement to launch direct passenger flights soon.
'It helps that we are all believers in the Belt and Road Initiative, a modern expression of the ancient Silk Road spirit,' Lee said at a business dinner, noting that China is Uzbekistan's largest trading partner. The delegation toured IT Park Uzbekistan and the Center for Islamic Civilization before concluding the visit. The outcomes underscore Hong Kong's role as a platform for global expansion, with Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises jointly tapping new markets. For more information, visit Brand Hong Kong.
