Key facts
- Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee led a delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
- The visit resulted in 96 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding.
- The deals are collectively valued at over US$1.65 billion.
- Kazakhstan is diversifying its economic and financial policies, viewing Hong Kong as a key partner.
Hong Kong has initiated a significant expansion of its global economic engagement with a recent five-day mission to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. This landmark visit, the first of its kind to Central Asia by a Hong Kong chief executive, resulted in the signing of 96 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding. These deals collectively represent a value exceeding US$1.65 billion, signaling a strategic pivot for Hong Kong to leverage its strengths in unlocking the economic potential of the Central Asian region. Kazakhstan, Central Asia's largest country, is actively diversifying its economic and financial policies as part of its long-standing foreign policy of balancing relations between major global powers, and now views Hong Kong as a key partner.