HK, Central Asia deepen ties

A high-profile Hong Kong Special Administrative Region trade mission to Central Asia, led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, ended on a successful note Friday, with 96 agreements involving $1.65 billion in investments secured.

The pacts comprise 15 government-level memorandums of understanding and accords in commerce, education and development projects, as well as 81 private-sector deals spanning trade, investment, finance, energy, technology and aviation.

The 70-member trade delegation included business and professional leaders from the SAR and the Chinese mainland, including representatives from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and two Hong Kong universities, as well as executives from mainland enterprises including electric vehicle maker Li Auto. Lee first adopted this blended composition during his visit to Qatar and Kuwait in 2025, a move he said would amplify Hong Kong's "super connector" and "super value adder" roles.

In a statement on Friday, Lee said the visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were fruitful, noting that beyond the signed agreements, the delegation witnessed strengthened government-level contacts between the SAR and the two Central Asian countries. He said it was also agreed that discussions will begin soon on areas including comprehensive double taxation avoidance.

The mission further deepened project matching and research collaboration, showcasing the Hong Kong SAR as a global platform, boosting exchanges through direct flights, visa extensions and educational, talent and cultural ties, and advancing a hub-to-hub model with Central Asia, the statement said.

Lee met with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and other senior officials from both countries to exchange views on further cooperation.

Lee said he will actively push for extensions of visa-free access arrangements between the SAR and the two nations in the future.

The delegation arrived in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, on May 31 for the first leg of the weeklong tour. Once there, they visited Astana Hub, the country's technology and innovation park; the Astana International Financial Centre; and Nazarbayev University, among other institutions.

The team proceeded to Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital, on Wednesday and toured IT Park Uzbekistan, a national-level special economic zone, and the Center for Islamic Civilization.

They also attended various business events to exchange views on future plans and expectations.

Li Guanhua, senior vice-president of Li Auto, said the company aims to use Hong Kong's platform to boost its brand presence and service capabilities. She said the government-led initiative is key for Chinese brands to expand overseas, adding there is a bright future for new-energy development in the region.

Jackson Choi Chit-sze, director of Hong Kong-based conglomerate Sunwah Group, said his company is keen to partner with mainland entrepreneurs targeting Central Asia to tap the region's mineral resources, renewable energy potential and strategic location linking China and Europe.

Tursunboy Makhkamov, chief financial officer of Uzbekistan's Ipak Yuli Bank, said Hong Kong is ideally positioned to serve as a premier hub for attracting overseas finance and driving new investment in Uzbekistan. He added that Uzbekistan's rapidly growing economy and market offer strong opportunities for Hong Kong investors.

Nurken Bolatov, chief operating officer of Kazakhstan-based startup Artisan Education, said his company has been accepted into the ideation program of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, which provides up to HK $100,000 ($12,760) in seed funding for startups.

He said this will be a strong opportunity for Artisan Education to enter the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong markets.

Atlas Shao contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com