This Aug 2, 2023 photo shows part of the dock complex at Kwai Tsing in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government says it has always dedicated itself to the promotion of trade and economic ties with Middle Eastern countries. (SHAMIM ASHRAF / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong is a "super value-adder", not just a "super-connector", offering abundant opportunities to enterprises and investors in the Middle East in seizing the unprecedented potential of national development strategies such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative, the city’s commerce chief said on Wednesday.

“Under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world,” Algernon Yau Ying-wah said in a written reply to a question in the Legislative Council.

To consolidate and strengthen the basis for trade and economic cooperation with the countries in the Middle East, the special administrative region has concluded investment agreements with Kuwait and the UAE, and is conducting investment agreement negotiations with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia with a view to concluding relevant discussions as soon as possible, he said. 

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“At the same time, we are proactively seeking to explore bilateral free trade agreements with economies in the Middle East, such as the UAE,” added the secretary for commerce and economic development.

The HKSAR government accords great importance to bilateral relations between Hong Kong and Middle Eastern countries, and has always dedicated itself to the promotion of trade and economic ties.

Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, HKSAR

Pointing out that the Middle East region is one of the key areas in the nation's Belt and Road Initiative, he the HKSAR government, Yau detailed steps taken by the government for the promotion of trade and economic ties between Hong Kong and the Middle East. 

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu led a high-level business delegation to visit promoting the unique advantages of Hong Kong to government and business sectors in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in February, attracting local businesses and capital to invest in Hong Kong, he said.

Riding on the outcomes of that visit, the SAR government jointly organized the 8th Belt and Road Summit with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council in September, he said. Newly launched at this year's edition of the Summit, the "Middle East Forum" promoted some 50 investment/co-operation projects in the Middle East region, added Yau.

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Dubai encouraged Hong Kong enterprises and professionals, including those in the fields of logistics, construction, finance, law, accounting and management, to expand into the rapidly developing Middle East market, he said.

To attract visitors to Hong Kong, the government launched the "Hello Hong Kong" large-scale global promotional campaign in February, said Yau.

“Since reopening, Hong Kong has topped the list of outbound travel destinations for users of the mainland online platform Xiaohongshu,” he said. In collaboration with Xiaohongshu, the Hong Kong Tourism Board launched the "Hong Kong Travel Time Machine" and "Art Travel to Hong Kong" programmes in the first half of this year, which generated more than 200 million total exposure for Hong Kong tourism.

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Speaking on government measures to assist Hong Kong enterprises and promote consumption, he said a series of "Happy Hong Kong" events was launched since April, which include various gourmet marketplaces in different parts of the city, the summer Harbour Chill Carnival on the Wan Chai promenade, the Cinema Day and other events. 

Through the "Night Vibes Hong Kong" campaign that began in September, the government held an array of night-time events with Hong Kong's unique appeal and attractiveness, spanning festivities including the National Day, Halloween, Christmas and the New Year until early 2024. 

“As at Oct 31, some 270,000 people have visited the night-time events at the three harborfront sites; meanwhile, the events specifically designed for different Chinese and western festivals have drawn the enthusiastic participation of many residents,” said Yau.

To promote and take advantage of Hong Kong's unique cultural appeal as a dynamic and vibrant city, events organized or under planning during 2023-24 include the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, Harbour Chill Carnival, Hong Kong Cyclothon, Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, Hong Kong WinterFest, Art Basel Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Sevens, Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2023, Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations, and Hong Kong Chinese New Year Celebrations next year.

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The SAR government has also provided funding support through the SME Export Marketing Fund to encourage small and medium enterprises to participate in marketing activities, assist them in exploring markets and entice relevant consumer spending, Yau added.