The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, today (August 7) met with the Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Dr Kao Kim Hourn, at Government House to exchange views on deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and ASEAN member states. Also attending the meeting was the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed Dr Kao's visit to Hong Kong. Mr Lee said that Hong Kong has maintained close trade and economic ties with ASEAN, and ASEAN has been Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner since 2010. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is pressing ahead at full steam with the formulation of Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan. As an international financial, shipping and trade centre, Hong Kong is actively developing into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent. Hong Kong will continue to deepen exchanges and co-operation with ASEAN member states in areas such as trade, investment, finance, logistics and innovation and technology, to jointly promote regional economic development and achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.
      
     Mr Lee said that Hong Kong is a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative. Under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantage of having the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. It will proactively serve as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder", and leverage its role in "bringing in and going global" by providing ASEAN enterprises with a high-quality business environment and diversified professional services. Through the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global, the HKSAR Government supports Mainland enterprises in expanding into markets including ASEAN, to promote the two-way flow of trade and investment in the region. He added that the HKSAR Government set up an Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last year, which is the fourth ETO established by the HKSAR Government in ASEAN member states, to further promote economic and trade exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and the region.
      
     Mr Lee said that Hong Kong will continue to maintain close exchanges with the ASEAN Secretariat and solicit support from other stakeholders for Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Ends/Friday, August 7, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:23

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