ASEAN tour yields fruitful results

August 2, 2024

Chief Executive John Lee:

During our six-day trip, we visited four cities across the three countries and participated in some 30 events. These included meetings with senior leaders and officials, visits to enterprises and Belt & Road projects, exchanges with the business communities in the four cities, and engaging in activities to promote people-to-people connections.

We have achieved five key results. First, we have enhanced government-to-government relations and communications. This is the first official visit by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to these three ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries. I thank the leaders of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam for attaching great importance to our visit.

Second, we have achieved fruitful results in co-operation and mutual development. Hong Kong signed with the three countries a total of 55 agreements or memoranda of understanding: 12 with Laos, 13 with Cambodia and 30 with Vietnam, covering a wide range of co-operative areas such as trade and economic partnership, investment, customs collaboration, education, cultural exchanges and tourism promotion.

Third, we laid a solid foundation for future collaboration between Hong Kong and ASEAN fostering new developments and new opportunities in such areas as trade and investment, financial development, and innovation and technology.

Fourth, we share a strong will in contributing to the Belt & Road Initiative. Hong Kong can provide a rich pool of professional expertise in investment and financing, talent management, operation and network in supporting the developments in the Belt & Road regions.

Fifth, we have confirmed the support from the three countries’ governments for Hong Kong in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Chief Executive John Lee revealed that Hong Kong signed a total of 55 memoranda of understanding and agreements with Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam during his visit to three Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states aimed at enhancing co-operation and mutual development.

Mr Lee, while leading a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region delegation, made the remarks today as he met the media in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Concluding his ASEAN tour, Mr Lee pointed out that the delegation visited four cities across the three countries and participated in some 30 events, including meetings with senior leaders and officials, and visits to enterprises and Belt & Road projects.

Apart from conducting exchanges with the business communities in the four cities, he emphasised that engagements in activities to promote people-to-people connections were also carried out.

“We have achieved five key results. First, we have enhanced government-to-government relations and communications. This is the first official visit by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to these three ASEAN countries. I thank the leaders of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam for attaching great importance to our visit.

“Second, we have achieved fruitful results in co-operation and mutual development. Hong Kong signed with the three countries a total of 55 agreements or memoranda of understanding: 12 with Laos, 13 with Cambodia and 30 with Vietnam, covering a wide range of co-operative areas such as trade and economic partnership, investment, customs collaboration, education, cultural exchanges and tourism promotion.

“Third, we laid a solid foundation for future collaboration between Hong Kong and ASEAN fostering new developments and new opportunities in such areas as trade and investment, financial development, and innovation and technology.

“Fourth, we share a strong will in contributing to the Belt & Road Initiative. Hong Kong can provide a rich pool of professional expertise in investment and financing, talent management, operation and network in supporting the developments in the Belt & Road regions.

“Fifth, we have confirmed the support from the three countries’ governments for Hong Kong in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.”