CE to visit ASEAN countries, promote HK's advantages and business opportunities

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced today (July 16) that he will lead a delegation to visit three ASEAN countries - Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam - in the latter half of this month. The government is currently finalizing the details of the ASEAN visit and will make timely announcements.

Lee stated that he would accompany high-level business representatives from various sectors, including commerce, finance, transportation, logistics, legal, and creative industries. The goal is to promote Hong Kong, explore business opportunities, establish broader connections and networks, and create new areas of development and opportunities.

During the previous ASEAN visit in July last year, Lee met with local leaders, held talks with business and political representatives, visited major companies, and attended business networking events in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia. The aim was to showcase Hong Kong's strengths and introduce Hong Kong's potential contributions to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), seeking ASEAN countries' support for Hong Kong's early accession to RCEP.

Lee noted that the previous visit resulted in 33 cooperation memorandums and agreements covering trade, investment, finance, innovation and technology, logistics, academic research, and cultural exchange. The outcomes include successful listings of local companies from these countries in Hong Kong, as well as Hong Kong companies' participation in local infrastructure projects and the provision of professional services, further strengthening the economic and trade networks between Hong Kong and the three countries.

This upcoming visit will be Lee's third time visiting ASEAN countries since taking office. Combined with the previous two trips, he will have visited seven ASEAN countries, accounting for around 75% of the ASEAN population.

Lee emphasized that ASEAN is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner and the world's fifth-largest economy. The bilateral goods trade volume reached HK$144.6 billion last year, accounting for nearly 13% of Hong Kong's total external trade, underscoring the immense economic potential of this emerging market.

During the visit, Lee will introduce Hong Kong's latest developments, particularly its strengths and the opportunities, economic and trade connections, and vast business prospects it can bring to Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

The delegation will also continue to seek their support for Hong Kong's accession to RCEP, promoting regional economic development and leveraging Hong Kong's role as a "super-connector" and "super value-adder." These efforts are expected to boost Hong Kong's development significantly.

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