The Government will do its utmost to help Hong Kong enterprises affected by the Sino-US trade dispute, Chief Executive Carrie Lam told lawmakers today. 

Attending the Legislative Council’s question and answer session, Mrs Lam noted that Gross Domestic Product only increased by 0.5% in real terms in the first quarter of 2019 over a year earlier. 

She said the situation was worrying and the Government had taken mitigation measures by opening up Hong Kong’s markets. 

In the past two years, it actively explored Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) markets, including signing a free trade agreement with ASEAN and setting up the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Bangkok, she noted. 

Mrs Lam added the Government also provided various kinds of support to small and medium enterprises to help them upgrade and expand their markets. 

She welcomed the industry to propose ideas to solve the problems they were facing, saying the Government will provide the necessary support.