Chief Executive John Lee today continued his visit to Korea to participate in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) activities and met leaders from Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In the morning, Mr Lee joined the APEC Economic Leaders' Informal Dialogue with Guests, in which he said Hong Kong will uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system and promote regional economic co-operation in developing an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community.

During a meeting with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the UAE, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Chief Executive said Hong Kong's simple and low tax regime provides an excellent business environment and encouraged more talent, businesses and capital from the UAE and the Middle East to establish a presence in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

In the afternoon, Mr Lee attended the APEC Business Advisory Council Dialogue with APEC Economic Leaders. Hong Kong, China's representatives to the APEC Business Advisory Council Mary Huen and Geoffrey Kao were also present.

The Chief Executive also met Managing Director of the IMF Kristalina Georgieva and thanked the IMF for consistently reaffirming Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre

Noting that Hong Kong is one of the world's major financial centres, he said the city will harness the asset-reallocation wave of global investors to continuously reform its capital markets, facilitate corporate fundraising, enhance market liquidity and promote financial innovation.

Mr Lee met Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong afterwards. He welcomed Singaporean enterprises to invest in the city's Northern Metropolis, thereby strengthening co-operation in frontier technology fields and tapping into the Greater Bay Area's vast market potential.