Belt and road forum: Hong Kong’s leader plans for trips to Europe, Middle East and Southeast Asia to ‘make business opportunities happen’

Hong Kong’s leader has said he plans to tour Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, vowing to “make business opportunities happen” as he wrapped up a four-day visit to Beijing to attend a belt and road forum hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In September, the vice-premier signalled his leadership of the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs, the country’s de facto highest decision-making body for the two special administrative regions, when he spoke at a separate high-level belt and road forum hosted by the Hong Kong government.

Lee on Thursday said the four-day trip had helped him reconnect with political and business leaders he had met during his past overseas tours, as well as make “new friends”, citing talks with forum attendees from Egypt and the Balkan nation of Montenegro.

“I will definitely continue to make overseas visits and Asean countries will be my priority. I also have plans to visit countries in other regions, including the Middle East and Europe,” he said. “We are stepping out to make business opportunities happen.”

The city’s leader stopped short of naming which countries were on his itinerary, but said further details would be announced once the plans were finalised.

Lee made the remarks as he returned from Beijing at the head of a 70-strong delegation comprising senior officials and business heavyweights, who attended all 10 sessions held at the two-day forum.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping unveils 8-point vision for nation’s Belt and Road Initiative at forum

Chinese President Xi Jinping unveils 8-point vision for nation’s Belt and Road Initiative at forum

Hong Kong’s leader also said the city had always attached great importance to its trade ties with Europe.

“I have had frequent communications with the European consul generals in Hong Kong and the European Union envoy in Hong Kong on different occasions,” he said. “We all have a common interest to grow the economy and expand trade, so we will move forward in this regard.”

Lee visited the Middle East in February and later toured Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, which are member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in July.

The Middle East and Southeast Asia are both covered by the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing’s push to link dozens of economies in Asia, Europe and Africa into a China-centred trade network.

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Hong Kong’s leader on Thursday said he was “very excited” by Xi’s eight-point action plan outlined at the opening session of the forum on Wednesday, describing the city as being in “perfect alignment” to support the plan.

Lee cited the emphasis on “small but beautiful” projects among belt and road projects, with such initiatives potentially relying on the city’s world-class professional services.

He also pointed to a training event organised by the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption to fulfil Beijing’s aspiration of graft-free belt and road developments.

Hong Kong open for investment, city leader John Lee tells belt and road forum

More than 100 agreements were signed at the high-powered forum this week, including three involving Hong Kong companies, he added.

Lee did not disclose the names of the businesses involved, but said the deals had a combined worth of US$450 million and covered the healthcare, technology and investment sectors.

Vowing that Hong Kong would continue using its strengths to support the belt and road plan, he said: “The initiative is on the right side of history. It will be a win-win situation through cooperation.”