Hong Kong Wraps Up Successful Mission to Enhance Connections with Central Asia

June 5, 2026 stocks24

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 5 June 2026 – A prominent high-level business delegation, spearheaded by John Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), concluded its five-day visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan today (June 5), yielding significant results in strengthening bilateral ties and cultivating relationships with Central Asia.

This delegation, featuring over 70 business and institutional leaders from Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, is the largest and most diverse overseas mission undertaken by the current term of the HKSAR Government thus far.

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Hong Kong SAR’s Chief Executive, John Lee (fifth right) and the Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Strategic Development, Sardor Umurzakov (fourth right) witness the exchange of memoranda of understanding and cooperation agreements between government departments, enterprises, and organizations from Hong Kong and Uzbekistan.

In a media briefing in Uzbekistan yesterday (June 4), Mr. Lee articulated three primary objectives for the visit: to delve into emerging markets and lay the groundwork for sustainable economic and trade development; to enhance government-to-government (G2G) links and foster closer bilateral collaboration; and to establish a “hub-to-hub” cooperation model.

He declared the visit a success, noting significant outcomes in eight key areas, including:

Creating high-level contacts and connections between the HKSAR Government and the Governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, reaching consensus on collaboration in various sectors;
A total of 96 cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed during the visit (61 with Kazakhstan, 35 with Uzbekistan), involving specific amounts exceeding US$1.65 billion in total;
The governments agreed to commence bilateral discussions on agreements across multiple fields;
Enhancing project matching and research collaboration between Hong Kong and Central Asia in areas such as finance, innovation and technology (I&T), and aviation;
Highlighting Hong Kong’s pivotal role as a platform for global outreach, with Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises joining efforts to explore new markets and harness synergistic advantages;
Facilitating better people-to-people exchanges through promoting direct flights, collaborations in aviation and transport, and extending the mutual visa-free period;
Encouraging exchanges in education, talent, and culture to bolster interpersonal connections;
Advancing a hub-to-hub cooperation model to broaden opportunities for collaboration between Hong Kong and Central Asia.

While in Tashkent (June 3-5), Mr. Lee engaged with local leaders, government representatives, and business stakeholders to deepen collaboration between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan in sectors such as trade, investment, finance, I&T, and cultural exchanges.

Mr. Lee held discussions with Uzbekistan’s President, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, Advisor on Strategic Development, Sardor Umurzakov, Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev to share insights on enhancing mutual cooperation.

He emphasized that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong possesses both the advantages of China and global opportunities. He confirmed Hong Kong’s commitment to act as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to further enhance cooperation and exchanges with Uzbekistan across various sectors aligned with Uzbekistan’s vision for sustainable development.

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Hong Kong SAR's Chief Executive, John Lee (left) meets with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev. — *Hong Kong SAR’s Chief Executive, John Lee (left) meets with the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev.*

Earlier (June 3), Mr. Lee met with the Uzbek Foreign Minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov, after which they together witnessed the exchange of notes on a mutual visa-free agreement, permitting a 30-day visa-free entry for visitors from both regions.

“Additionally, we are pleased to have initialed the Air Services Agreement with Uzbekistan and look forward to establishing direct passenger flights between the two areas soon,” Mr. Lee remarked during a high-level business dinner (June 4). He noted that both Hong Kong and Uzbekistan serve as essential trade and investment gateways to their respective regions – the Asia-Pacific and Central Asia.

“It is beneficial that we share a belief in the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, which embodies the spirit of the ancient Silk Road,” Mr. Lee stated. “Currently, China is Uzbekistan’s largest trading partner, and both nations are closely collaborating on significant infrastructure and connectivity projects that are revitalizing the Silk Road. Hong Kong is pivotal in the B&R Initiative, bolstered by our world-class professional and financial services expertise.”

The delegation also visited the IT Park Uzbekistan and the Center for Islamic Civilization before concluding its trip in Tashkent.