Speech by SCED at opening ceremony of Kuala Lumpur ETO (English only)
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YB Loke (Minister of Transport, Malaysia, Mr Loke Siew Fook), H.E. Ouyang Yujing (Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Mr Ouyang Yujing), YB Liew (Deputy Minister of Finance of Malaysia, Mr Liew Chin Tong), YB Sim (Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Mr Sim Tze Tzin), Frederick (Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Professor Frederick Ma), Ambassador Ikram (Chief of Protocol of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, Ambassador Ikram Bin Mohd Ibrahim), Owin (Director of the Kuala Lumpur ETO, Mr Owin Fung), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon and welcome.
My memory is still fresh when I followed our Chief Executive to visit Malaysia in 2023, and when he announced in 2024 his plan to set up a new Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Kuala Lumpur. Within a year or so, the Kuala Lumpur ETO commenced operation in December 2025. This could not have been done without the full support and blessing of the Malaysian government.
To celebrate the opening of the ETO's permanent office, we are very honoured today to be joined by distinguished guests whom I addressed just now, as well as YB Sim, YB Liew and representatives from the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Consul General of Malaysia in Hong Kong, Mr Muzambli. Also, we are very glad to have H.E. Syed Ahsan Raza Shah, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Malaysia, with us today. Your presence showcased the closer-than-ever ties between Hong Kong and the four economies served by this office.
Being the 15th overseas ETO of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the fourth in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region, Kuala Lumpur ETO shoulders the responsibility of deepening Hong Kong's economic, trade and investment ties with and strengthening our presence in this strategically important region. ASEAN has been our second largest trade-in-goods partner since 2010, while Malaysia is our eighth-largest partner. Together with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Kuala Lumpur ETO will spearhead building closer government-to-government and business-to-business links, and will step up the facilitation of two-way trade and investment. We will create more opportunities and win-win collaboration in areas of mutual interest, whether in finance and fintech, innovation and technology, professional services, green economy, logistics, or creative industries, just to name a few.
My appreciation also goes to the dedicated colleagues who worked hard to set up the office, in particular our team in Jakarta ETO who contributed a lot in liaising with the Malaysian government and driving the preparatory work. On this auspicious occasion, I wish the Kuala Lumpur ETO every success. May it serve as a strong bridge of friendship and prosperity between Hong Kong and Malaysia, as well as Brunei Darussalam, Laos and Pakistan for many years to come.
Thank you.
Ends/Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:30
Issued at HKT 15:30
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