Chief Executive John Lee concluded his trip to Uzbekistan today by meeting local officials and business leaders, and visiting innovation and technology (I&T) and cultural institutions.

In the morning, he toured IT Park Uzbekistan, an innovation technology park, and met First Deputy Minister of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan Ayubkhon Sultonov to exchange views on strengthening co-operation between the two places in I&T and the digital economy. 

Mr Lee said: “Our visit to the IT Park is for many purposes, so we come here for building co-operation, cross-fertilising and see what other things that you are doing and what other things we are doing so that we can mutually benefit.”

Welcoming the Chief Executive, Mr Sultonov said: “We highly value your visit, we see today's meeting as an important step to develop practical co-operation between Uzbekistan and Hong Kong.”

During the meeting, Mr Lee also witnessed the exchange of memorandum of understanding (MoU) or the confirmation of intention to co-operate between IT Park Uzbekistan and Hong Kong's three major I&T parks - Cyberport, the Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation & Technology Park - to promote closer co-operation between the two places on various fronts, including startup incubation, talent exchanges and joint research and development.

In the afternoon, the Chief Executive visited the Center for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan to learn about local efforts in cultural preservation, academic research and education promotion.

He expressed hope that Hong Kong and Uzbekistan will further strengthen co-operation in arts and culture, people-to-people exchanges and museum collaboration, and deepen friendship between the two places.

Mr Lee then attended a business exchange event hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan, where he again met Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov.

He noted that Hong Kong can provide professional support for Uzbekistan's economic development needs and serves as an ideal platform to assist Uzbek enterprises in expanding their business.

Mr Lee also attended a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan where he expressed confidence that the two places will open up a new chapter of mutual benefits and win-win co-operation.

Concluding his trip, Mr Lee said that the Central Asia visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has yielded fruitful results, with achievements secured in eight areas.

They include establishing high-level contacts and ties between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and reaching consensus on co-operation in multiple areas.

The Hong Kong SAR Government and the two governments signed a total of 15 MOUs and agreements covering areas such as commerce, education and development projects. 

Beyond the government level, a total of 81 MOUs and agreements were concluded, covering such areas as trade and economic co-operation, investment, finance, technology and aviation. 

A total of 96 co-operation agreements and MOUs were reached during the visit, involving specific amounts exceeding US$1.65 billion in total.

The governments agreed to commence bilateral discussions on agreements in various areas, including discussions with the Governments of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on comprehensive avoidance of double taxation agreements, negotiations on a bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement, and co-operation with the Government of Uzbekistan on customs clearance facilitation.

Another achievement involved deepening project matching and research collaboration between Hong Kong and the Central Asian region in areas including finance, I&T and aviation.

It has also demonstrated Hong Kong's effective role as a platform for going global and achieving substantial results.

The trip has facilitated more convenient people-to-people exchanges by promoting direct flights, aviation and transport co-operation, and extensions to the mutual visa-free period.

In addition, it has promoted exchanges in education, talent and culture to further deepen people-to-people bonds.

Mr Lee also noted that the trip has advanced a hub-to-hub co-operation model to open up broader room for co-operation between Hong Kong and the Central Asian region.