Hong Kong positions itself as Belt and Road connectivity hub across infrastructure, standards, and people ties

Nicholas Ho, Hong Kong's commissioner for belt and road, has outlined three areas of connectivity the city is advancing with partner economies: infrastructure, regulatory standards, and people-to-people ties.

Infrastructure and "Small but Beautiful" Projects

The Belt and Road Office engages project authorities in partner countries to create a structured cooperation platform that identifies opportunities for Hong Kong companies and professional services in both major infrastructure schemes and smaller projects. The office organizes outbound missions bringing together different sectors to explore belt and road opportunities.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu led a business delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in June this year, a visit that produced 96 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding covering projects valued at more than US$1.65 billion. The Belt and Road Office signed memorandums with key institutions in both countries during the trip.

Standards and Regulatory Alignment

Ho, writing after the official opening of Hong Kong's Economic and Trade Office in Kuala Lumpur, said the Belt and Road Office is coordinating efforts to strengthen "soft connectivity" in rules and standards alongside the physical infrastructure work. He joined Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah in Malaysia for the office launch, which marked an elevation in Hong Kong's economic and trade ties with Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

Facilitating Business Exchange

The Belt and Road Office hosted a forum during the Malaysia visit that brought government officials, business leaders and professionals together, underscoring Hong Kong's role as a functional platform for Belt and Road Initiative cooperation.

The office plans to encourage project authorities to conduct roadshows or release information in Hong Kong so local enterprises can connect more precisely with opportunities. It has also brought major events from belt and road countries to the city, LEAP East, a global tech event, left the Middle East for the first time and chose Hong Kong as its host.

Through what Ho describes as "all-round connectivity," Hong Kong is deepening participation in belt and road cooperation across multiple fields.

Source: South China Morning Post