Chief Executive John Lee today led a joint Hong Kong-Mainland business delegation to Kazakhstan, kicking off an official visit aimed at deepening economic co-operation.  

Mr Lee began the morning by meeting Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin.

During the meeting, Mr Lee highlighted Kazakhstan’s rapid economic growth driven by its ongoing structural reforms. He noted that Hong Kong, as a leading international financial centre, the world’s largest cross-boundary wealth management centre and a premier offshore renminbi business hub is uniquely positioned to support these reforms. The city can provide flexible, diversified capital and asset allocation solutions to fuel Kazakhstan's infrastructure and economic projects. 

The Chief Executive welcomed Kazakhstan's government and local enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's financial advantages. He encouraged them to list, issue bonds and secure project financing in the city to connect with global investors, raise international funds and add value to local development initiatives.

Mr Lee then met Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at noon to discuss deepening bilateral relations, before attending an official luncheon hosted by the President. 

The Chief Executive highlighted Kazakhstan’s significance as the birthplace of the Belt & Road Initiative, where President Xi Jinping first proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt in 2013. The country is currently Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Central Asia, with strong economic and trade ties and broad prospects for future co-operation.

As vital regional trade gateways, both economies are actively driving diversification. Mr Lee noted that Hong Kong, as one of the world’s most competitive economies, bridges the Chinese Mainland and global markets, making it a perfect partner for Kazakhstan's industrial transformation. 

This visit marks the first overseas trip led by Mr Lee since the formation of the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global. It is also his largest delegation to date, comprising more than 70 business leaders and professionals from Hong Kong and the Mainland. 

The Chief Executive said that he looks forward to reaching multiple co-operation agreements during this mission. The pacts will span trade, investment promotion, financial services, innovation and technology (I&T) and culture and tourism, as well as further exploring emerging markets and strengthening bilateral economic ties.

Mr Lee emphasised that under the "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong enjoys strong support from the central government alongside global connectivity. This unique pairing positions the city as a crucial functional platform for the Belt & Road Initiative. 

He added that Hong Kong will continue to leverage its roles as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder", as it deepens international exchanges and accelerates the growth of new economic sectors. 

He expressed his desire to strengthen two-way co-operation between the two regions. He  encouraged enterprises in Kazakhstan to leverage Hong Kong's professional services and business advantages to enter the Chinese Mainland and Asian markets. Concurrently, this partnership enables Hong Kong and Mainland firms to go global, capture opportunities from Kazakhstan's economic reforms and build a corporate presence in Central Asia.

The Chief Executive noted that these joint commercial efforts will inject fresh momentum into the high-quality development of the Belt & Road Initiative.

In addition, Mr Lee visited the Astana Hub, a local technology and innovation park, to learn about Kazakhstan’s latest milestones in artificial intelligence. He met Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister & the Minister of Artificial Intelligence & Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev. 

Mr Lee introduced Hong Kong's developments in I&T and welcomed Kazakhstan's technology and innovation enterprises to set up operations in Hong Kong.

He then visited the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) to learn about Kazakhstan's experience in promoting the development of the non-bank financial sector, and met the AIFC Governor Renat Bekturov. 

In the evening, Mr Lee attended a dinner hosted by the Kazakhstan Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov.