Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivers a speech at a business luncheon jointly organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 28, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said that his weeklong trip to Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia achieved fruitful results, including the signing of 33 memoranda of understanding.

Lee made the remarks in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Friday during a high-profile visit of a Hong Kong delegation to the ASEAN region.

The 33 MOUs, including 11 that were signed with Malaysian enterprises and organizations on Friday, cover a broad range of areas, including trade, investment, finance, innovation and technology, logistics, academic research, and cultural exchanges.

The pacts show that Hong Kong's value to the countries has exceeded expectations, adding that the city retains a strong desire to foster collaborations with various sectors of the three nations, said the CE.

READ MORE: HK delegation visits M'sia to strengthen trade, investment ties

Another highlight of the trip is that the three nations reaffirmed their support for Hong Kong's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, for which Lee expressed his gratitude.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (seventh left) and Minister of Transport of Malaysia Loke Siew Fook (seventh right) attend a business lunch with representatives of various enterprises and institutions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 28, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

Chief Executive John Lee (eighth right) meets with the Founder of Berjaya Corporation Berhad, Vincent Tan (ninth left) when he led a Hong Kong delegation to Berjaya Corporation Berhad in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 28, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

Chief Executive John Lee (center), Minister of Transport of Malaysia, Loke Siew Fook (fifth right) and representatives of the organizations concerned attend a business luncheon jointly organized by the HKSAR government and the HKTDC in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 28, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

The delegation also reached an agreement with the Singapore government to resume a civil service exchange program that had been suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Malaysia's extension of the visa-free entry period to 90 days for holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports.

On Friday, Lee visited the offices of two Malaysian conglomerates and attended a business luncheon.

Lee emphasized the importance of strengthening economic and trade ties, as well as promoting cultural exchange with the nation. For example, Malaysia has always been a popular destination for Hong Kong businesses and tourism, and Hong Kong television programs and pop music have been popular in Malaysia. Such exchanges have helped to forge friendships between the two communities.

ALSO READ: ASEAN visit: HK enters 15 trade deals with Indonesia

Lee also said that Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh Choo-Kheng's winning the Oscar for Best Actress in March has brought joy to both Malaysia and Hong Kong, reflecting the shared language in the entertainment and business fields. Yeoh, an ethnic Chinese, got her start Asian action star in Hong Kong films of the 1980s and '90s.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu interacts with residents at a hawker center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 28, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

Reviewing his first visit to Malaysia since taking office, Lee described Malaysia as a vibrant country and said that his mission was to tell the Hong Kong story and establish relationships with the governments and business communities of Malaysia and other countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Lee also emphasized the importance of the ASEAN market to Hong Kong and said that the region will continue to play a significant role in the city's future economic development.

"I am confident that our relations will continue to soar to new heights. And I invite each and every one of you to join us on our mission to explore new successful partnerships between Hong Kong and Malaysia,” Lee said.

READ MORE: Lee seeks support for joining RCEP during Southeast Asia trip

At the same luncheon, Malaysian Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook welcomed attendees in Cantonese, demonstrating the close relationship between Malaysia, the Chinese mainland, and Hong Kong.

Growing up watching Hong Kong films and dramas, many ethnic-Chinese Malaysians are familiar with Hong Kong artists, Loke said. 

Chief Executive John Lee (fifth right), together with other senior officials and Legislative Council members from Hong Kong, meets the media in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 28, 2023. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVT)

Tickets to Hong Kong performers' concerts are quickly snapped up. He mentioned that Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung Hok-yau will perform in Malaysia for two consecutive weekends next month.

In addition, Loke expressed interest in Hong Kong's focus on developing its aviation cargo industry and expressed hope that seafood from Malaysia's Sabah state, particularly its tiger prawns, could be exported to other places via Hong Kong, making the specialty as famous as Alaskan crabs.

Contact the writer at lindaxi@chinadailyhlk.com