Trade Development Council (TDC) chairman Frederick Ma on Sunday described the visit by a Hong Kong delegation to Central Asia as super successful, with more firms from the region possibly seeking to raise capital in the SAR.

Ma – who was one of the 70 members of a delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee – said more Kazakh state-owned enterprises may seek to list on Hong Kong's stock exchange, with a railway company already expected to go public on the city's bourse some time this year.

"I believe that after our visit, they have a deeper understanding of us. In the future, they may send more of their companies to list in Hong Kong. This will definitely be a significant boost to our financial industry," he told a TVB programme.

He noted that some Kazakh companies are already using Hong Kong's bond market and anticipated further financial cooperation ahead.

Ma said the delegation had explored opportunities with businesses in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with representatives from the Airport Authority, education and cultural sectors signing multiple agreements.

He also said the TDC is thinking about elevating its consultant office in the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan so it could carry out a more formal role to handle liaison work with the Kazakh government and businesses.

He added that there is a need to maintain ties with Central Asian partners in the coming years to follow up on agreements and advance projects.


Edited by Aaron Tam