A high-level business delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has built a solid base for deeper engagement between Central Asia’s two largest economies and Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, after visiting the fast-growing markets last week.

The delegation, which included 75 business leaders and professionals from Hong Kong and 17 provinces and municipalities in the Chinese Mainland, inked 66 MoUs across trade, investment, finance, technology and aviation.

A further 15 cooperation agreements were signed at the government level, while non-delegation members signed another 15 MoUs covering culture and academia, promoting long-term collaboration with Central Asia.

The delegation was led by John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

The HKTDC will help fast-track key projects facilitated during the visit by providing post‑mission business matching and professional support services, while continuing to assist Hong Kong enterprises in exploring international cooperation opportunities.

Looking ahead, the parties look forward to welcoming more Central Asian enterprises to Hong Kong and HKTDC’s flagship international conferences and exhibitions, including the Belt and Road Summit and InnoEX, to capitalise on the city’s strengths as an international business and trading hub.

HKTDC Chairman Prof Frederick Ma said that the visit to Central Asia had once again reaffirmed Hong Kong’s role as a bridge between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world.

The international hub helps facilitate two‑way investment and trade flows by serving as a springboard for Mainland enterprises expanding internationally and as a gateway for overseas enterprises entering the Chinese Mainland market, Prof Ma noted, while speaking at a business luncheon in Uzbekistan attended by some 230 business leaders and senior officials.

“This virtuous cycle of going global and attracting foreign investment fully demonstrates Hong Kong’s irreplaceable value under the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the HKTDC’s strengths as the preferred platform for enterprises pursuing two‑way expansion,” he highlighted.

Multi-sector collaboration

The delegation represented a broad range of sectors, including financial and professional services, logistics and transportation, innovation and technology, trade and green industries, as well as the media.

It visited Kazakhstan from 1 to 3 June, exchanging views on strengthening trade ties and industrial collaboration with organisations such as the National ‘Atameken’ Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Baiterek National Investment Holding, a government body managing economic development, Halyk Bank, the country’s largest bank, and Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund.

It then moved on to Uzbekistan from 4 to 5 June, gaining in‑depth insights into economic developments, the market environment and investment opportunities after meeting with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, the Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and IT Park Uzbekistan, among others.

Mr Lee, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, met the Presidents, Prime Ministers and other senior officials of the two countries, mutually agreeing to strengthen high-level communication and pursue multi-faceted collaboration.

As part of this, the Government of Uzbekistan will establish a Consulate General in Hong Kong.

The mission had three main aims, Mr Lee explained.

First, to further explore emerging markets and lay a solid foundation for long-term economic and trade development. Second, to strengthen government-to-government relations and promote closer bilateral cooperation. Third, to establish a hub-to-hub cooperation model.

“The delegation attended more than 20 events and inspected multiple projects in the finance, innovation and technology, and infrastructure sectors,” he added.

“The visit was highly successful.”