Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (right), has a bilateral meeting with President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Phuc (left), while attending the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on Nov 19, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu met with President Nguyen Xuan Phuc of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday.

Bilateral trade rose sharply in the first nine months of this year to reach $25 billion. Currently, there are more than 2,000 HKSAR investment projects in Vietnam, valued at nearly $30 billion

They exchanged views on deepening economic and trade cooperation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Vietnam. Lee welcomed Vietnamese enterprises to invest in the HKSAR, while the Vietnamese leader said his country sees Hong Kong as a top trading partner.

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Bilateral trade rose sharply in the first nine months of this year to reach $25 billion. Currently, there are more than 2,000 HKSAR investment projects in Vietnam, valued at nearly $30 billion. 

Vietnam is Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner among member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Lee said he's confident that relations between Vietnam and the HKSAR will continue to grow.

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A Hong Kong delegation will visit Vietnam next year to update the Vietnamese business community on the opportunities in the HKSAR, as well as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Lee said.

Contact the writers at shixiaofeng@chinadailyhk.com