A business delegation led by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee and organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) visited Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from June 1 to 5, strengthening economic and trade ties between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and Central Asia. Building on the success of that visit, the Alatau City Authority of Kazakhstan promptly held the Alatau City Investment Round Table in Hong Kong on June 11. The event, part of an official Kazakh delegation visit to Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, reflects increasingly close ties and proactive efforts to sustain cooperation momentum.
The roundtable, attended by Chief Executive John Lee and Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, brought together government representatives, leading enterprises, financial institutions, and investors from Kazakhstan, the Chinese Mainland, and Hong Kong, as well as members of the business delegation that participated in the Central Asia visit. Participants explored the latest developments and investment opportunities in Alatau City, a new greenfield project near Almaty, across sectors including fintech, the low-altitude economy, smart city development, and infrastructure.
Chief Executive John Lee highlighted Hong Kong's unique advantages, stating, "Kazakhstan's ambitious reforms and its open, welcoming attitude towards international partners were both welcome and impressive. Hong Kong is eager to build on this momentum to explore wide-ranging business and investment co-operation with Kazakhstan. Under the unique 'one country, two systems' principle, we are the only world city to combine the China advantage and the global advantage."
Silas Chu, Director of Exhibitions and Digital Business of HKTDC, emphasized the council's commitment to the Central Asian market, noting the opening of the Almaty consultant office in 2018. He said, "Through our business platforms, including those co-organised with the Hong Kong SAR government, such as the Belt and Road Summit and InnoEX, we can help promote our city's vision and attract international investors and technology partners."
Templewater Limited, a business delegate on the Central Asia mission, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DASCO Capital to explore establishing a fund supporting the future development of Kazakhstan and the Alatau City Project. The Central Asia visit yielded 96 MoUs and agreements, including 66 signed by the business delegation covering trade, investment, finance, technology, and aviation; 15 government-level cooperation agreements; and 15 non-delegation MoUs in academia and culture.
These outcomes underscore Hong Kong's role as a key platform for Mainland enterprises to go global and promote long-term collaboration with Central Asian markets. The HKTDC will continue to follow up on key projects initiated during the visit, providing professional business matching and support services to facilitate implementation. Through major conferences, business missions, and outreach initiatives, the HKTDC promotes collaboration between enterprises from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland and Belt and Road markets, enabling them to seize vast business opportunities.
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