Hong Kong, the illustrious Chinese financial beacon, sets its sights on enhancing trade and economic relationships with Thailand, targeting a robust presence within the Southeast Asian economic arena following a pivotal leadership meeting.
Tuesday’s press briefing witnessed Chief Executive John Lee recounting his deliberations with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin from the previous day. Both leaders articulated mutual appreciation for their established rapport and conveyed aspirations for fostering deeper inter-regional interactions.
Lee’s strategic intent pivots around elevating Hong Kong’s stature within Southeast Asia, a move anticipated to rejuvenate the city’s economy, previously stifled by COVID-19’s relentless grasp. Simultaneously, there exists an ambition to mold Hong Kong into an indispensable connector linking mainland China and the wider international community.
Anchoring this vision is Hong Kong’s ambition to fortify collaborations with the nations under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) umbrella. Statistics from the past decade reinforce ASEAN’s position as Hong Kong’s second most substantial trading ally, underscoring the vitality of their economic interplay.
According to the X platform, the erstwhile Twitter, Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, during his three-day sojourn in Hong Kong, engaged in dialogues with prominent personalities like Bernard Chan and Allan Zeman.
Chief Executive Lee also conveyed gratitude towards Thailand for endorsing Hong Kong’s integration endeavors with the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Operational since the previous year, the RCEP heralds myriad benefits. It includes significant tariff contractions, trade operation simplifications, and reciprocal economic boons for affiliated nations.
With the RCEP representing nearly a third of global trade and business ventures, members of this consortium are optimistic about leveraging the partnership as a catalyst for post-pandemic economic resurgence.
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