John Lee arrives in Hainan to attend Boao Forum, to share HK's development opportunities in speech

The Chief Executive, John Lee, has arrived in Haikou, Hainan, and will attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 this afternoon (March 25). In a post on social media, he said he would share Hong Kong's development opportunities at the forum and looked forward to exchanging views with representatives of different sectors from the Mainland and other countries to discuss the grand plan of opening up and development.

Lee said the Boao Forum for Asia has been making efforts in upholding multilateralism and promoting common responses to global challenges. This trip to Hainan, Hong Kong will also sign a memorandum of cooperation with Hainan, the two sides will deepen cooperation in five areas: trade and investment, finance, safe and orderly flow of data, tourism, and exchange of talents, and expects the two places to give full play to their complementary strengths, and promote economic and trade cooperation at a deeper level.

Lee pointed out that Hong Kong is the largest source of foreign investment in Hainan and is striving to join RCEP, and Hainan's Free Trade Port is the forefront of the Mainland's accession to Association of Southeast Asian Nations, so the two places can exchange experience in the development of FTTP, and make use of the advantage of "zero-tariff" to seize the development opportunities of ASEAN together to promote economic growth and expand the space for development.

Lee emphasized that Hong Kong will seize every opportunity to make friends.

"We will strive to let the world know more about Hong Kong, so that Hong Kong can give full play to its unique advantage of 'enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world', and play the roles of 'super-connector' and 'super value-adder' for internal and external communications, so as to further enhance its connectivity with the world, and to deepen its international interactions and co-operation.

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