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, comprising 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 (G2G) relationships and promoting closer bilateral cooperation; and building a "hub-to-hub" model of cooperation.
Lee said the visit yielded achievements in eight areas, including establishing high-level contacts and ties between the HKSAR Government and the Governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, reaching consensus on cooperation in multiple areas, and signing a total of 96 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs)—61 with Kazakhstan and 35 with Uzbekistan—involving specific amounts exceeding US$1.65 billion in total. The governments also agreed to commence bilateral discussions on agreements in various areas and deepen project matching and research collaboration between Hong Kong and the Central Asian region in finance, innovation and technology (I&T), and aviation.
The visit demonstrated Hong Kong's effective role as a platform for going global, with Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises joining forces to tap new markets and bring synergistic advantages into full play. It also facilitated more convenient people-to-people exchanges by promoting direct flights, aviation and transport cooperation, and extensions to the mutual visa-free period. Additionally, the delegation promoted exchanges in education, talent, and culture to further deepen people-to-people bonds, and advanced a hub-to-hub cooperation model to open up broader room for cooperation between Hong Kong and Central Asia.
While in Tashkent from June 3 to 5, Lee met with local leaders, government officials, and business representatives to deepen cooperation between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan in trade, investment, finance, I&T, and people-to-people exchanges. He held meetings with President Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, Advisor on Strategic Development Sardor Umurzakov, Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev to exchange views on furthering mutual cooperation.
Lee highlighted that under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. He said Hong Kong would continue to play its roles as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" to further deepen cooperation and exchanges with Uzbekistan. Earlier on June 3, Lee met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov, after which they jointly witnessed an exchange of notes on a mutual visa-free arrangement allowing a visa-free period of 30 days for visitors from both sides.
"Moreover, we are glad to have initialed the Air Services Agreement with Uzbekistan, and look forward to launching direct passenger flights between the two places soon," Lee said during a high-level business dinner on June 4. He pointed out that Hong Kong and Uzbekistan are important trade and investment gateways to their respective regions—the Asia-Pacific and Central Asia. "It helps that we are all believers in the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, a modern expression of the ancient Silk Road spirit," Lee added. "Today, China is Uzbekistan's largest trading partner, and the two countries work closely on major infrastructure and connectivity projects that are revitalizing the Silk Road. Hong Kong is a pivotal player in the B&R Initiative, thanks to our world-class professional and financial services expertise."
The delegation also toured the IT Park Uzbekistan and the Center for Islamic Civilization before concluding its visit in Tashkent. For more information about Brand Hong Kong, visit Brand Hong Kong.
