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John Lee to visit Qatar and Kuwait on Saturday

2025-05-06 HKT 11:26

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Chief Executive John Lee will lead a delegation to Qatar and Kuwait on Saturday to explore business opportunities.

This is his second trip to the Middle East since taking office, following his 2023 visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking before the weekly Executive Council meeting on Tuesday, Lee said the 50-strong delegation comprises local officials and enterprises from Hong Kong and the mainland.

"During the visit, I will meet with leaders of the two countries, and we will strengthen communications and liaison with the governments concerned," he said.

Lee said he will lead the delegation to inspect facilities to understand the latest developments in finance, trade and technology.

The trip aims to showcase the city's advantages under One Country, Two Systems as a super-connector and to show the synergy between mainland and Hong Kong enterprises, he added.

Qatar, he noted, has the highest GDP per capita among Gulf countries, while Kuwait has one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds.

"The Middle East is developing rapidly. It has an abundant supply of funds and it's keen on diversifying its risks," Lee said.

"So this is part of the global trend in terms of gravitating towards the East."

The government is planning to set up an Economic and Trade Office in Saudi Arabia, in addition to the existing one in Dubai, Lee added.