Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu arrived in Kazakhstan on Sunday with a business and trade delegation to enhance ties with Central Asia in a trip that would also take him to Uzbekistan.

Lee was welcomed at the airport in Astana, the Kazakh capital, by Assan Darbayev, Kazakhstan’s vice-minister of national economy, and Cheng Kefan, minister counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Kazakhstan.

“Hong Kong and Central Asia enjoy vast scope for collaboration,” Lee said in a statement posted on his official Facebook page.

“I believe this visit will strengthen exchanges and cooperation between Hong Kong and the Central Asian region across various sectors, create new trade corridors and explore emerging market opportunities.” 

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Lee’s delegation includes 40 Hong Kong business and professional leaders and 30 representatives of Chinese mainland enterprises.

“This delegation is the largest of its kind in the current term of the government, covering the largest number of participants and the broadest range of sectors,” Lee said.

“It also marks the second time that Hong Kong and Chinese mainland representatives have joined forces to ‘go global’ together,” he added.

Lee said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will sign multiple memorandums of understanding with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan during the trip, while numerous cooperation projects will be concluded between public and private institutions and enterprises from the SAR, the mainland and the two Central Asian countries.

Meanwhile, Commissioner for Belt & Road Nicholas Ho Lik-chi said that Hong Kong is the ideal Belt & Road trading hub, with the city's total merchandise trade with Central Asia increasing by 27 percent in 2025 compared to 2020.

He expressed confidence that Lee's visits will further promote economic and trade development between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Ho said that Hong Kong can become the hub for Central Asian companies to access the Greater Bay Area, the mainland, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and beyond.

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“And in return, we are hoping that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan can be Hong Kong companies, GBA companies and ASEAN companies’ hub to access into Central Asia,” he said.

Kazakhstan has the most developed economy in Central Asia and is rich in oil resources. In 2025, Kazakhstan was Hong Kong’s largest trading partner and the leading export market in the region.

The most populous Central Asian country, Uzbekistan is home to more than 38 million people. It also boasts a diverse range of natural resources, including hydrocarbons, gold and cotton.

In 2025, Uzbekistan was Hong Kong’s third largest trading partner in Central Asia. Lee will head to Uzbekistan on Wednesday.