On May 19, 2026, the lighting in the conference room of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Headquarters was focused, and Chief Executive Li Jiachao faced the camera and officially announced his itinerary for early June - the destinations were Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia. This is not an ordinary diplomatic visit, but the largest foreign delegation during the current term of the Special Administrative Region government, accompanied by over 60 business representatives, including about 30 from the energy and manufacturing industries in mainland China.  

Why these two countries

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have been selected as the pivot points for this ice breaking journey, with the core being their economic momentum and pivotal position. Data shows that Kazakhstan's economic growth will reach 6.5% by 2025, making it not only a logistics hub connecting China and Europe in Central Asia, but also Hong Kong's largest trading partner in the region. Uzbekistan, with a high growth rate of 7.7% and a large population base, has become the engine of the regional consumer market. Li Jiachao pointed out that the diversified needs of these two countries in the fields of finance, infrastructure, and green energy are highly complementary to Hong Kong's professional service advantages.

Three core tasks

The objective of this visit is clear, with the primary task of exploring emerging markets and promoting Hong Kong as a "super contact" for local enterprises to enter the mainland and global markets. Secondly, strengthen government cooperation and lower investment barriers for enterprises through high-level meetings. The most crucial third point is to build a hub channel, which utilizes Hong Kong's position as an international financial center to connect with Central Asia's resources and logistics network, forming a "hub to hub" cooperation model, and providing new opportunities for mainland and Hong Kong enterprises to go global.

Business clustering logic

The composition of the delegation reveals a pragmatic business logic. In addition to representatives from the local financial, legal, and logistics industries in Hong Kong, about 30 entrepreneurs from more than ten provinces and cities in mainland China are particularly eye-catching, covering heavy asset industries such as energy, mining, and high-end manufacturing. This joint group approach of "Hong Kong services+mainland production capacity" aims to utilize Hong Kong's capital and professional services to provide one-stop solutions for infrastructure and resource development in Central Asian countries, allowing citizens of both regions to share the economic dividends.Editor/Yang Meiling