Hong Kong’s chief says town will search to strengthen its financial and commerce ties with Thailand after a gathering with the nation’s prime minister
ByKANIS LEUNG Related Press
October 10, 2023, 12:49 AM
FILE – Hong Kong Chief Government John Lee speaks at a reception following a flag elevating ceremony for the celebration of 74th Nationwide Day of the Folks’s Republic of China on the Golden Bauhinia Sq. in Hong Kong on Oct. 1, 2023. Lee mentioned Tuesday, Oct. 10, town would search to strengthen its financial and commerce ties with Thailand after a gathering with the nation’s prime minister, because the Chinese language monetary hub appears to be like for extra enterprise alternatives in Southeast Asia. (AP Photograph/Chan Lengthy Hei, File)
The Related Press
HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s chief mentioned Tuesday town would search to strengthen its financial and commerce ties with Thailand after a gathering with the nation’s prime minister, because the Chinese language monetary hub appears to be like for extra enterprise alternatives in Southeast Asia.
Chief Government John Lee mentioned at a weekly press briefing that he and Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin agreed throughout a gathering on Monday that the 2 sides have “good and shut relations” and that they’d promote extra exchanges between their individuals.
Lee’s administration needs to broaden town’s position in Southeast Asia to spice up financial development for the monetary hub after years of COVID-19 restrictions. It goals to place town as a bridge between mainland China and the worldwide group.
Lee mentioned Hong Kong will work to deepen regional cooperation and strengthen its work on financial, commerce and funding actions with nations within the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations. Since 2010, ASEAN has been the second-largest buying and selling associate for Hong Kong, the federal government mentioned.
Srettha arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday for a three-day journey. He met with officers and enterprise leaders together with Bernard Chan and Allan Zeman, in response to his put up on the X platform, previously generally known as Twitter.
In a press assertion on Monday, Lee additionally thanked Thailand for supporting Hong Kong’s early entry into the Regional Complete Financial Partnership, a significant 15-nation commerce settlement that took impact final yr. The deal slashes tariffs on hundreds of merchandise, streamlining commerce procedures and offering mutual benefits for member nations.
Members of the commerce bloc hope the initiative, encompassing a few third of world commerce and enterprise exercise, will assist energy their recoveries from the pandemic.
