Chief Executive John Lee today met Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs & Development Cooperation Maxime Prévot to discuss deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and Belgium.

Welcoming Mr Prévot and his delegation to Hong Kong, Mr Lee remarked that Belgium is one of Hong Kong’s major trading partners in the European Union, adding that a number of Belgian companies have set up operations in Hong Kong.

He highlighted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Consulate General of Belgium in Hong Kong, reflecting long-standing exchanges and co-operation between the two places.

Mr Lee outlined that Hong Kong ranks at number one in the world on economic freedom and is the world’s fifth largest merchandise trading entity.

He expressed confidence that Hong Kong and Belgium will further strengthen co-operation and pursue broader collaboration in areas such as investment, innovation and technology (I&T), and people-to-people exchanges.

Mr Lee said Hong Kong firmly supports and upholds free trade and multilateralism, and will continue to deepen international exchanges and co-operation, and expand its global trade network.

He explained that it serves as an important bridge connecting China and the world, and enjoys the unique advantage of enjoying the former’s strong support while being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle.

He also mentioned that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has established a “Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global” and the Economic & Trade Express service platform, among other initiatives, to support its roles as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder”.

Mr Lee said overseas enterprises, including those from Belgium, are welcome to leverage Hong Kong’s professional and high value-added services, its market-oriented business environment and its low and simple tax regime, and to use the city as a platform to tap into the Mainland and Asian markets, thereby advancing global economic development.

Furthermore, he commented that the Northern Metropolis is a new engine for Hong Kong’s future economic development, and that the National 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly supports accelerating its development.

He added that Hong Kong is building itself into an international I&T centre, not least through the development of the Hong Kong Park area of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (“Hetao Hong Kong Park”), which he said promotes the integration of technological and industrial innovation, and attracts high-end corporations from the Mainland and around the world to Hong Kong.

The Chief Executive urged Belgian I&T enterprises to set up in the NM and the Hetao Hong Kong Park, and to bring in frontier technologies, talent and industrial chains, thereby leveraging Hong Kong’s robust research and development capabilities and vibrant I&T ecosystem to jointly seize development opportunities.

Acting Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Joseph Chan also attended the meeting.