19-2-2024 (HONG KONG) Nicholas Ho Lik-chi, the Commissioner for Belt and Road overseeing Hong Kong’s role in China’s national initiative, has announced that Hong Kong will focus on business collaborations with Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries as part of the Belt and Road plan. Ho identified Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia as prime areas for exploring cooperation this year.
With the Belt and Road Initiative encompassing over 100 countries, Ho emphasized the need for Hong Kong’s efforts to be more concentrated to achieve tangible results. He stated, “This year, we prepare to go to Asean and Middle East countries, and we will also explore Central Asia regions.” The Commissioner mentioned that official delegations from different government departments will visit these countries to attract enterprises and investment. Additionally, business missions involving professional services, young groups, and start-ups will be organized.
Earlier, the Hong Kong government announced its plans to launch business missions targeting five Belt and Road countries in the current year. These missions will facilitate visits to the Greater Bay Area for Hong Kong-based enterprises from Belt and Road countries, promoting the city as a service hub for accessing the mainland Chinese market.
Ho highlighted that the countries mentioned have expressed particular interest in Hong Kong’s green developments, such as finance, professional services, certification, technology, and start-ups. He cited Thailand and the Middle East as examples, stating that they are promoting economic restructuring and have set goals for carbon neutrality with a green vision. “Therefore, the first thing they came to Hong Kong was to tell us they wanted to seek some economic partners on the green aspect,” Ho explained.
The Commissioner also revealed Hong Kong’s plans to pursue more opportunities in Central Asia and North Africa in the coming years. The government aims to establish two consultant offices in Turkey and Egypt, further strengthening ties with these regions.
In addition to enhancing business collaborations, Hong Kong authorities are planning to launch the first “Belt and Road Festival” during this year’s annual summit, which focuses on the global trade initiative. The festival aims to showcase various cultural, sports, tourism, and culinary activities from Belt and Road countries. Ho stated, “We hope some activities on Belt and Road will be organized in various districts in Hong Kong, in a bid to bring the initiative and residents closer and let people feel engaged.” Collaborations with cultural and sports organizations will be established to successfully launch the festival.
