RTHK English
Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday declared his trip to Central Asia a major success, revealing that a total of 96 memoranda of understanding and partnership agreements worth an estimated US$1.65 billion have been made. Summing up the tour from the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, Lee said 15 pacts were signed directly on a government-to-government level with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, covering business, education and development projects. Lee also announced that Uzbekistan has agreed to establish a consulate-general in Hong Kong. He added that details for a relaxed travel arrangement – where Hong Kong and Uzbekistan could each allow the other's passport holders to enter visa-free for up to 30 days – will be announced soon. “Both governments are working very hard to implement this visa-free 30-day arrangement. We have overcome the most difficult part, that is both sides work on the details and yesterday we exchanged the notes verbally on this matter,” he said. “With the enthusiastic attitude of both governments, I think we can see very early implementation of the arrangement. I will push my colleagues to work harder, and I received the same assurance by my counterparts in the government of Uzbekistan.” The Chief Executive said that the SAR and Uzbekistan governments also signed an aviation agreement, adding that some SAR airlines are already planning to launch direct flights to Uzbekistan. He noted that the two sides have also initiated talks to establish an avoidance of double taxation agreement to lower fiscal barriers for cross-border businesses. When asked about plans for the next trip, Lee said officials will summarise the experience from the current visit and assess locations that would bring long-term benefits to the SAR's economic and trade development. For his part, Frederick Ma, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), noted that many small doors of business opportunity have opened up in the past few days. One example, he said, was that at least one state-owned Kazakh enterprise has explicitly expressed interest in pursuing a public listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Since arriving in the Uzbek capital on Wednesday, Lee has met with several senior Uzbek officials, including President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. The Chief Executive will attend a business dinner hosted by the SAR government and HKTDC on Thursday night to promote the SAR’s business opportunities to local commercial representatives. On Friday, Lee and his delegation will visit IT Park Uzbekistan – the country's primary technology and innovation hub – before setting off on his return journey to Hong Kong. Edited by Aaron Tam
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