Hong Kong's John Lee Reaffirms Free Trade Stance in Belt and Road Summit Meetings

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee held a series of bilateral meetings with high-level foreign government officials attending the 11th Belt and Road Summit, reaffirming the city's steadfast support for free trade and multilateralism. The discussions on September 9 aimed to deepen economic cooperation and position Hong Kong as a critical gateway for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Strengthening Global Economic Ties

In his meetings, Lee promoted Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework, positioning the city as a "super-connector" and "super value-adder" for global partners. He emphasized that Hong Kong can provide powerful support in trade, finance, and professional services for nations participating in the BRI.

Lee noted that Hong Kong is actively expanding its global trade network and will play a key role in both attracting foreign investment and facilitating outbound capital flows. According to the government, these efforts are part of a broader strategy to discover new economic growth points, which will be detailed in the city's upcoming first Five-Year Plan.

Key Bilateral Discussions

Lee engaged with leaders from several key emerging markets to advance specific cooperation agreements. The discussions covered a wide range of sectors, from finance and logistics to technology and culture.

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Key meetings included:

• Uzbekistan: With Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Lee followed up on a recent trade mission to advance collaboration in legal services, investment, education, and technology.
• Kazakhstan: Lee and Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev discussed strengthening the "hub-to-hub" partnership. Kazakhstan is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Central Asia.
• Qatar: In a meeting with Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Ahmad bin Hassan Al Hammadi, Lee highlighted Hong Kong's capacity to provide financing and professional services, particularly in green finance and fintech, to support Qatar's National Vision 2030.
• Laos: Lee met with Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, thanking him for Laos' support for Hong Kong's application to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and underscoring the city's strong ties with ASEAN.
• Uruguay: Discussions with Vice President Carolina Cosse focused on Hong Kong serving as a platform for Latin American businesses to access the Greater Bay Area and broader Asian markets.

Strategic Outlook

The series of high-level meetings underscores Hong Kong's strategy to leverage its status as an international financial center to capture opportunities from the BRI. The government is taking concrete steps to enhance connectivity, including launching direct flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, in the first quarter of next year and expanding its economic and trade office network to cover Central Asia.

By fostering these relationships, Hong Kong aims to solidify its position as an indispensable trade and investment portal connecting mainland China with markets across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond, thereby driving mutual economic growth.