John Lee meets Kazakhstan President to deepen bilateral relations

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu met with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana on Monday and exchanged views on deepening cooperation, marking a significant step forward in bilateral relations between the two regions.

During the meeting and subsequent luncheon hosted by Tokayev, Lee emphasized Hong Kong’s commitment to strengthening ties with Kazakhstan and highlighted the vast untapped potential for collaboration.

He said Hong Kong, as a major platform for the Belt and Road Initiative and a leading gateway for international trade and investment, aims to facilitate bilateral trade and assist Kazakh enterprises in accessing the Chinese Mainland and wider Asian markets. Kazakhstan, which serves as the core land transport corridor connecting China and Europe, currently handles approximately 85 percent of land freight between the two continents.

Lee also discussed Kazakhstan’s ambitious reform agenda, which centers on digital transformation, investment modernization, and global connectivity. The city leader said Hong Kong signaled its readiness to serve as a close partner for Kazakhstan in achieving these goals.

Both sides have signed a series of cooperation agreements, including multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), spanning trade and investment promotion, financial services, innovation and technology, culture, tourism, and other sectors.

Lee added that the bilateral merchandise trade between the two regions in 2025 reached HK$1.5 billion. Lee also invited Kazakh enterprises to expand their businesses and consider listing in the city. He also announced plans for the SAR government to establish a Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Kazakhstan.

Earlier in the day, Lee also met with Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy. The two discussed Hong Kong’s ambitions to become an international gold trading hub, with Hong Kong’s ecosystem offering professional services that could benefit from Kazakhstan’s substantial gold reserves.

Lee noted that Hong Kong has recently surpassed Switzerland as the world’s top cross-border wealth hub, and that Kazakhstan could leverage Hong Kong’s strengths as an international financial and technology centre to pursue new investment and business opportunities.

Both sides expressed optimism about the future of Hong Kong–Kazakhstan relations and the potential for deeper, more constructive cooperation across multiple sectors.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓