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Mainland Chinese firms on Hong Kong-led Central Asia trip eye city listing: John Lee

Hong Kong’s leader says city will press on as ‘superconnector’, ‘super value-adder’ to help them expand overseas amid geopolitical disruptions

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Hong Kong’s leader John Lee (centre, pointing) views a scale model at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan in early June. Photo: Handout
Last month's delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan included more than 40 local representatives from sectors ranging from logistics and innovation and technology to banking and aviation. Photo: Jeffie Lam
Lee visits the Centre for Islamic Civilisation in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, during his trip. Photo: Handout
Fiona Sun
Many mainland Chinese businesses that joined a Hong Kong-led delegation to Central Asia last month are preparing to list in the city to raise capital for global expansion, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has revealed.

At a summit on Tuesday, the city leader stressed that Hong Kong would continue to leverage its role as a “superconnector” and “super value-adder” to support businesses expanding overseas, amid accelerating global shifts and protectionism that were disrupting the international trade order.

“I know that many mainland companies that accompanied the delegation are actively preparing for listing in Hong Kong,” Lee revealed, referring to the official delegation to Central Asia that he led in June to help enterprises explore new markets amid geopolitical uncertainties.

“[They] are making full use of Hong Kong’s financial strengths to raise the capital needed for their global expansion.”

The delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan included more than 40 local representatives from sectors ranging from logistics and innovation and technology to banking and aviation. More than 30 mainland entrepreneurs also joined the delegation.

During the visit, Hong Kong signed 96 agreements worth US$1.65 billion with the two countries, both key partners of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
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