John Lee Ka-chiu: “Uzbekistan is one of our key strategic partners in Central Asia”
At a time when new transport corridors, financial centers, and regional cooperation are increasingly central to the global economy, the countries of Central Asia are becoming a focus of the international business community.
The economic reforms carried out in recent years, the improvement of the investment climate, and Uzbekistan’s open foreign policy are strengthening the country’s appeal to international partners.
The opinion expressed by John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, during his visit to Central Asia underscores the region’s growing interest.
– I express my deep gratitude to the Government of Uzbekistan for the sincere hospitality extended and the high level of organization of the visit program, – says John Lee Ka-chiu. – I also express my special gratitude to the team of the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan for their support.
Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia and one of the region’s fastest-growing economies. In recent years, the country’s GDP growth rate has remained above 5%, and Uzbekistan is becoming an important partner for Hong Kong in accessing the Central Asian market.
On the first day of the visit, a meeting was held with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov. A bilateral agreement to introduce a visa-free regime was signed. Citizens of the two countries will be able to travel visa-free for 30 days.
Talks were held with the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Presidential Advisor Shukhrat Vafoyev, and Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev. Mutual understanding was reached on expanding cooperation in finance, trade, aviation, and other areas.
We are establishing an active dialogue with Uzbekistan’s business community. The business forum, attended by representatives of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, served as an important platform for discussing new investment and trade projects.
As part of the visit, we became familiar with IT Park Uzbekistan’s activities. At a meeting with the Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov, we discussed cooperation in the field of innovation.
The purpose of the trip to Central Asia is to explore new markets, strengthen intergovernmental ties, and develop a cooperation model based on the “hub-to-hub” principle.
A delegation comprising representatives of more than 70 companies from Hong Kong and China arrived in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. They actively participated in more than 20 events. A total of 96 memoranda of cooperation and memoranda of understanding were signed. The total project volume has been set at more than $1.65 billion.
One of the key decisions within the framework of cooperation is the plan to open the country’s Consulate General in Hong Kong. Agreements were reached on the prevention of double taxation, and negotiations were launched on an agreement on mutual investment protection. In the customs sector, a mechanism for the mutual recognition of authorized economic operators is planned.
Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Peter Lam, also praised the results of the visit. He noted that the visit created opportunities for new business ventures. Negotiations on major projects are underway in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Individual companies are discussing projects to build pharmaceutical production plants in Uzbekistan and to prepare traditional Chinese medicine products using local raw materials.
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Interviewed by Dilshod Hakimov, photos by Sarvar Urmonov, UzA
