Business Delegation Signs 66 MoUs During Central Asia Visit to Boost Multi-Sector Collaboration

Tashkent, Uzbekistan – A business delegation led by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), John Lee, and organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), completed its first stop in Kazakhstan from 1 to 3 June and are now visiting Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, for the final leg of its Central Asia tour from 4 to 5 June. During the visit, the delegation met with senior representatives of the local government and business communities, successfully advancing collaboration opportunities across multiple sectors.

The HKTDC will follow up on key projects facilitated during the visit by providing professional post-‘mission business matching and support services, with a view to expediting project implementation while continuing to assist Hong Kong enterprises in exploring further international cooperation opportunities.

The business delegation facilitated the signing of 66 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements during its visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, covering areas such as trade, investment, finance, technology and aviation. In addition, 15 cooperation agreements were signed at the government level, while non-delegation members signed 15 MoUs in areas including academia and culture, bringing the total number of agreements and MoUs signed to 96. These outcomes have laid a solid foundation for deepening economic and trade ties among Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, underscoring Hong Kong’s role as a key platform for Mainland enterprises to go global and further promoting long-term collaboration with Central Asian markets. 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 Hong Kong’s strengths as an international business and trading hub and further deepen cooperation.

During its stay in Uzbekistan, the delegation met with senior officials, trade bodies and business representatives, including the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade (MIIT) of Uzbekistan and Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce, and IT Park Uzbekistan, to gain in-depth insights into the country’s economic developments, market environment and investment opportunities.

Summing up the Central Asia visit, Mr Lee said: “The purpose of this visit is threefold. 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.

During the visit, I led a delegation of 75 business leaders from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan — the two largest economies among the five Central Asian countries. The delegation attended more than 20 events and inspected multiple projects in the finance, innovation and technology, and infrastructure sectors. The visit was highly successful and achieved eight major outcomes.”

Mr Lee held meetings with the Presidents, Prime Ministers and other senior officials of the two countries. Both sides agreed to strengthen high-level communication and pursue multi-faceted collaboration. The Government of Uzbekistan has agreed to establish a Consulate General in Hong Kong. In addition, multiple agreements were signed, including projects with substantial investment value.

Both sides recognised that the hub-to-hub cooperation model will create broader and deeper collaboration between the two regions and drive high-quality development. They will increase high-level mutual visits, support each other’s promotional activities and jointly expand their networks.”

To deepen economic and trade cooperation, the HKSAR Government and the HKTDC jointly hosted a business dinner in Uzbekistan, attracting around 230 business leaders and senior officials. Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, said at the dinner: “The Central Asia visit has delivered fruitful outcomes and once again reaffirmed the trust placed by Central Asian countries in Hong Kong’s role as a bridge. In tapping emerging markets, such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, with its international credibility, robust institutional framework, world-class professional services and the HKTDC’s global network, serves not only as a key springboard for Mainland enterprises to go global, but also as a gateway for overseas enterprises to enter the Mainland market, effectively facilitating two-way investment and trade flows. 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.”

The delegation comprised business leaders from Hong Kong and 17 provinces and municipalities across the Chinese Mainland, spanning a broad range of sectors, including financial and professional services, logistics and transportation, innovation and technology, trade, green industries as well as the media. For the first time, representatives from journalism associations joined the delegation, in response to the Policy Address’s initiative to assist the local media in expanding their network beyond Hong Kong and telling the good stories of Hong Kong.  

During its Kazakhstan visit, the delegation facilitated 43 MoUs and agreements, including:

1.Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken”
2.Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
3.Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Satbayev University
4.Airport Authority Hong Kong and Almaty International Airport
5.Belt and Road General Chamber of Commerce and National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken”
6.Belt and Road General Chamber of Commerce and Commex HK Link Digital Trading Company Limited and Eurasian Trading System Export” International Commodity Exchange (ETSE)
7.Belt and Road General Chamber of Commerce and JINGSH CONSULTING LLP
8.Chinese Manufacturers Association and National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken”
9.Cyberport and Astana Hub
10.Federation of Hong Kong Industries (FHKI) and Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development in Kazakhstan
11.Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited and Astana International Exchange (AIX)
12.Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing Limited and Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
13.Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks and Astana Hub
14.Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Ltd. and Astana Hub
15.The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Atameken”
16.Law Society of Hong Kong and National Bar Association of Kazakhstan
17.BOCHK and Bank of China Kazakhstan and Baiterek
18.BOCHK and Samruk Kazyna
19.Bosera International Asset Management Limited and JSC “Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan”
20.Cathay Pacific and Almaty International Airport and Almaty City Government (Tourism Development)
21.China International Capital Corporation Limited and Freedom Holdings
22.China International Capital Corporation Limited and Samruk Kazyna
23.China International Capital Corporation Limited and Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
24.China International Capital Corporation Limited and Air Astana
25.Deloitte China and Universal Energy Co., Ltd.
26.Ewpartners Investment Management Limited and Dasco Capital Ltd.
27.Ewpartners Investment Management Limited and Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
28.Ewpartners Investment Management Limited and Jiangsu Solicitude Medical Technology (Group) Limited and Samruk-Kazyna Invest LLP
29.Goldford Group and Gas Energy Solution LLP
30.Hong Kong News Executives’ Association and The Newspaper Society of Hong Kong and Khabar Agency JSC
31.Jardine Matheson and KIDF
32.Jiaxin International Resources Investment Limited and Industry and Construction of the Republic of Kazakhstan
33.Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Limited and Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology
34.PCCW Limited and Kazakhtelecom
35.PCCW Limited and Khabar Agency JSC
36.SCMP and Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
37.SCMP and GOBI PARTNERS and Astana Hub and Khan Tengri Innovation Hub
38.Soy-Sky FarmTech Company Limited (Hong Kong) and JSC NC Food Contract Corporation of Kazakhstan
39.Standard Chartered Bank and Development Bank of Kazakhstan
40.Standard Chartered Bank and Hangzhou CIEC Group Co., Ltd.
41.Templewater Limited and Freedom Holdings
42.The Standard and Freedom Horizons
43.Walvax Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and Gold Astrum LLC  

During its Uzbekistan visit, the delegation facilitated 23 MoUs and agreements, including:

Other non-delegate organisations have also taken this opportunity to establish collaborations in various fields, including education, culture, and more: