Hong Kong and Bangladesh sign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (with photos)
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The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, signed the IPPA on the margins of the Belt and Road Summit with the Minister of Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute of Bangladesh, Mr Khandakar Abdul Muktadir.
Mr Yau said, "As a manufacturing powerhouse and a populous country in South Asia, Bangladesh has a rapidly expanding economy and is an important trade and investment partner of Hong Kong. This IPPA marks a new milestone in strengthening the longstanding trade and investment links between Hong Kong and Bangladesh. The signing of the IPPA on the margins of the Belt and Road Summit also signifies the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's commitment to the continual expansion of economic ties with markets along the Belt and Road, of which Bangladesh is a staunch supporter.
"An IPPA enables investors of the two parties to enjoy corresponding protection of their investments in the host economies, and thus enhances confidence of investors in making investments abroad. Hong Kong has been making dedicated efforts to expand its network of IPPAs, in particular with countries along the Belt and Road, in order to enhance two-way investment flows and bring about economic growth and mutual prosperity," he added.
Under the Agreement, the two governments undertake to provide investors of the other side with, among other measures, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory treatment of their investments, compensation in the event of expropriation of investments, and the right to free transfers abroad of investments and returns. The Agreement also provides for the settlement of investment disputes under internationally accepted rules, including mediation and arbitration. The Agreement will enter into force after the fulfilment of relevant internal requirements by both sides.
The IPPA with Bangladesh is the third such agreement that this term of Government has signed, following the IPPAs with Türkiye and Bahrain signed in October 2023 and March 2024 respectively.
Including Bangladesh, Hong Kong has so far signed 25 IPPAs with 34 foreign economies. The other economies are 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam), Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
Ends/Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:00
Issued at HKT 15:00
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