Hong Kong signs deals worth US$1 billion with belt and road countries
John Lee says city’s external trade with countries under initiative exceeded US$276 billion last year, an 80 per cent increase since 2013
Hong Kong has signed nine agreements with belt and road countries, with companies sealing dozens of business deals worth nearly US$1 billion (HK$7.8 billion), the city’s leader announced at a major summit, pledging to enter into more collaborations in the future.
At the 10th edition of the two-day Belt and Road Summit on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said Hong Kong’s external trade with countries under the initiative exceeded US$276 billion last year, an 80 per cent increase since 2013 and three times the average growth rate of the city’s overall merchandise trade over the same period.
Hong Kong’s direct investment in belt and road countries also reached US$133 billion in 2023, which was 3.6 times the amount in 2013, he added.
More than 90 speakers from 18 belt and road economies are attending the two-day summit, themed “Collaborate for Change. Shape a Shared Future”.
Among the guests are Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol, Uzbekistan’s deputy economy and finance minister, Umid Abidkhadjaev, and Khaled Al Khattaf, CEO of the Saudi Investment Promotion Authority.