HONG KONG - John Lee Ka-chiu, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said on Wednesday that he hoped Hong Kong and Vietnam will continue to explore opportunities for cooperation.

Lee made the remarks when meeting with the visiting Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Hoa Binh at Hong Kong's Government House.

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Lee said that Hong Kong and Vietnam are important economic partners and the HKSAR government values strengthening connections with Vietnam. During a recent visit to Vietnam by an HKSAR delegation led by Lee, he witnessed the signing of a total of 30 memoranda of understanding covering areas including economy and trade, education, and tourism.

Noting that Vietnam has experienced rapid economic development in recent years, Lee said Hong Kong can act as a close partner with enterprises in Vietnam to explore overseas markets.

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Nguyen Hoa Binh said the relationship between Vietnam and Hong Kong has always been close, and he looked forward to closer exchanges at both government and community levels, further benefiting the people.