John Lee says ‘free and open’ Hong Kong can promote cultural exchanges under belt and road plan, invites world leaders to visit city amid ‘strong’ tourism recovery

Hong Kong as a free and open city is well-positioned to foster people-to-people exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said, as he invited world leaders to visit the financial hub during its “strong” tourism recovery.

The city leader on Wednesday also touted Hong Kong’s role as a cultural hub connecting the nation with the rest of the world, as he addressed hundreds of attendees on the final day of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

“We attach great importance to the development of soft connectivity under the belt and road strategy,” Lee said, referring to China’s plan to grow global trade.

“Hong Kong people are biliterate and trilingual, and well-versed in the business environment and culture of both the international community and mainland China. Hong Kong’s diversified professional services are among the world’s best … pressing ahead with the high-quality development of belt and road projects.”

Lee also highlighted the city’s strengths in financial services and logistics, saying that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and high-speed rail link connecting the city to the mainland served as a gateway for the flow of people and goods between the region and the rest of the world.

“As our tourism industry sees a strong recovery, we look forward to welcoming friends from our belt and road partners to Hong Kong. Together, we can enhance mutual learning and build a global community with a shared future in this free and open city,” he said.

He told a forum at the conference attended by world leaders, including Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, that the Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District had emerged as popular attractions for visitors amid a strong recovery in tourism.