On July 24, 2026, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Frederick Ma, announced a major strategic adjustment at a press conference. On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, this official Hong Kong trade promotion agency did not choose to shrink conservatively, but instead launched a future oriented global network optimization with the strengthening of its Riyadh office in Saudi Arabia and the establishment of a new Cairo office in Egypt as its core. Behind this decision is a profound shift in the global trade landscape, indicating that a new gateway to high growth markets in the Middle East and North Africa is slowly opening for Chinese companies.

Refactoring the global map and anchoring emerging markets

This adjustment is part of the optimization of the internal structure of the Trade Development Bureau starting from July 1, 2026. The organization has established six major industrial groups and increased the number of vice president positions to six. Without increasing the budget, the strategic restructuring of the global network has been achieved by transferring some European and American resources to South America, Northern Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa. This layout clearly shows that TDB is shifting its strategic focus from traditional markets to emerging trade zones along the the Belt and Road, such as Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa, with the aim of focusing on customers and accurately meeting the needs of high growth regions.

Deeply cultivating Riyadh, mining for Saudi Arabia's transformation

Strengthening the Riyadh Advisory Office in Saudi Arabia is the top priority of this adjustment. As the largest economy in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia's 2030 vision is generating massive opportunities for infrastructure, new energy, and digital transformation. This move will enable Hong Kong and mainland enterprises to receive stronger localization support, more accurate market intelligence, and resource integration when participating in this mega project. The Hong Kong SAR government has also simultaneously promoted the establishment of an official economic and trade office in Riyadh, with government business cooperation, to build a solid bridge for overseas enterprises to access the core market of the Gulf. Keywords: the Belt and Road news network, international cooperation, trade

Layout Cairo and leverage a new springboard for North Africa

The establishment of a new advisory office in Cairo, Egypt, fills the service gap of the Trade Development Bureau in North Africa and forms a network covering the three core regions of the African continent - South, East, and North - with the existing offices in South Africa and Kenya. Egypt is not only the largest economy in North Africa, but also a key node that radiates the free trade area of Europe, the Middle East, and the African continent. Combined with the favorable policy of zero tariffs on products from African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China starting from May 1, 2026, the Cairo office will become a new strategic pivot and bridgehead for Chinese enterprises to enter the African market and explore industrial chain cooperation.Editor/Gao Xue