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John Lee’s 2023 Middle East work trip

John Lee’s 2023 Middle East work trip
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee is leading a 30-strong delegation on a week-long work trip to the Middle East to forge close economic ties with Gulf states. The high-level visit comes two months after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s trip to Saudi Arabia for the China-Gulf summit with leaders in the region.
Sheikh Ali Al Maktoum, who pledged to open a US$500 million family office in Hong Kong, attends a media event at Hang Seng University in Sha Tin on March 26. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | As Dubai prince saga shows, Hong Kong’s Middle East campaign needs work

Hong Kong cannot hope to successfully engage with the Middle East if it does not thoroughly understand its economy, culture and politics.

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Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | Middle Eastern countries eager to invest in Hong Kong mega projects: Paul Chan

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Hong Kong economy

Meet 5 Hongkongers blazing a Middle East trail in areas from jewels to energy

Hong Kong economy

What can Hong Kong gain in its Middle East forays?

Government is hoping to tap into wealthy Middle Eastern markets and diversify Hong Kong’s economy after three years of pandemic curbs and uneasy US-China ties.

Illustration: Brian Wang
Banking & finance

Wealthy families from Middle East eye Hong Kong to manage their fortunes

A growing number of wealthy families from the Middle East, Europe and Asia are considering using Hong Kong to invest their riches after the government and wealth managers have increased their promotional efforts this year, according to industry players.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s Belt and Road Summit to feature new session devoted to Middle East

Summit focus on Middle East part of drive to create stronger relationships with region and Southeast Asia, both included in China’s plan to grow global trade.

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Banking & finance

Hong Kong needs talent in Islamic finance, Arabic to woo Gulf investors

Hong Kong will have to create a talent pool with expertise in the Middle East and Islamic finance if it wants to attract wealthy families and companies from the region to invest in the city, according to a veteran banker.

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A view of Dubai’s skyline and the world’s tallest tower, Burj Khalifa. Hong Kong needs to invest in banking talent familiar with the Middle East and Islamic finance, experts say. Photo: AP Photo
Hong Kong politics

Opinion | Hong Kong’s leader deserves B+ for his first year, but many challenges lie ahead

On balance, the Hong Kong chief executive has done a good job in the past year. Going forward, two pressing issues he will have to deal with are whether to carry on with the expanded HK$2 fare scheme and the Fanling housing plan.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong firms move to cut major deals in Middle East after John Lee’s visit

Hong Kong businesses reap the benefits of city leader John Lee’s visit to Saudi Arabia and UAE in February.

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Hong Kong economy

City Beat | Hong Kong must do its homework to profit from warmer-than-ever China-Saudi ties

Fast-changing Saudi Arabia is eager for foreign capital, including from Hong Kong. The city should now reach out to its citizens in the Middle East who have the connections and know-how to build trust and spur investments.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman during a state visit to Saudi Arabia in December. Photo: Xinhua via ZUMA Press
Hong Kong economy

‘Breathtaking’ plans for Hong Kong to help link Middle East, Greater Bay Area

Gulf Cooperation Council countries and bay area have ‘strikingly similar’ policies, economic ambitions.

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The Lok Ma Chau area at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Photo: May Tse
Coronavirus Hong Kong

Emirates expects to restore Hong Kong flights as industry looks past pandemic

The world’s third-best carrier is eyeing a return to operating four flights per day from Hong Kong by early next year as the industry looks past the chaos brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong ‘must seize opportunities’ with Gulf investors eyeing mainland market

Standard Chartered’s Benjamin Hung says senior executives of sovereign wealth funds he met last week all agreed assets allocated to China ‘could be increased’.

Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Mideast visit heralds better times for Hong Kong’s economy and people

The high-profile trip to boost business links with Saudi Arabia and the UAE emphasised above all that Hong Kong is back. This will be the first of many overseas visits this year to renew friendships and wide-ranging ties, to promote the city’s strengths and expand opportunities.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Hong Kong economy

Bye to the West? Hong Kong banking on Gulf business diversification

Deputy CEO of city’s de facto central bank cites exchanges on recent trip to region, says there is keen interest in financial hub.

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Exchange Square in Hong Kong’s Central. Photo: May Tse
Middle East

Hong Kong architect makes his mark, turning desert dream into smart city

Chris Wan went to Abu Dhabi looking for new opportunities and stayed 15 years breaking new ground.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong leader set to visit Greater Bay Area ‘very soon’ in Gulf trip follow-up

Source says John Lee’s Greater Bay Area visit will happen very soon as many SMEs in the Middle East had expressed an interest in the region.

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Hong Kong national security law

Hong Kong’s national security law not a concern for Mideast firms: top official

Deputy Justice Minister Horace Cheung, who is accompanying city leader on week-long tour, says they instead want to discuss arbitration and mediation services that Hong Kong can offer.

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Dubai has been seeking to serve as a regional dispute resolution hub by modernising its arbitration rules. Photo: Bloomberg
Middle East

Free-trade agreement ‘logical next step’ for Hong Kong and UAE, John Lee says

But UAE could take months to decide whether to begin formal discussions on matter with city counterparts, according to source.

Diplomacy

John Lee jetting off to Middle East, Southeast Asia no fix for Hong Kong: experts

Emerging market focus understandable given current geopolitical tensions, but city will still need traditional markets such as US and Europe, observers say.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong leader meets head of UAE sovereign wealth fund during Middle East trip

City leader also visits major industrial zone developed by Chinese company and rubs shoulders with royalty and leader of AI firm with ambitious plans in Asia.

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Chief Executive John Lee visits Aldar Properties PJSC in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong reopens

Hong Kong’s John Lee wraps up Saudi Arabia stop at tech conference

Chief executive also meets head of state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco, promoting city’s pivotal role in helping it to attain listing there.

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John Lee (left), meets president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser at the Leap conference. Photo: Handout
IPO

HKEX’s accord with Tadawul may aid Aramco’s Hong Kong listing

The collaboration could pave the way for the kingdom’s oil company Saudi Aramco – whose US$29.4 billion IPO in 2019 on the Tadawul remains the world record – to list its shares in Hong Kong.

Transport and logistics

Here are the finance, tech bigwigs pressing Hong Kong’s cause in Middle East

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee selected 30 industrial and political heavyweights to accompany him on his first official Middle East tour. The chosen delegates reflect the focus of the city’s push for investment.

Hong Kong reopens

Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia sign 6 deals as Lee vows ‘new level of cooperation’

Chief Executive John Lee seen meeting state oil giant Aramco’s president and CEO Amin Nasser at a flagship technology conference.

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John Lee and his delegation view smart city projects on a tour hosted by Saudi officials. Photo: Handout
Saudi Arabia

Talks on Saudi investment promotion deal to begin soon: Hong Kong leader

City leader John Lee also announces that Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia will soon launch talks on an agreement to enhance mutual investment flows.

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Chief Executive John Lee and members of the Hong Kong delegation get a tour of an exhibition in Riyadh on a smart city project. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong leader to meet ‘senior Saudi officials, bosses of oil giant Aramco’ on trip

Meetings between Saudi officials, executives of world’s largest oil company and Chief Executive John Lee are scheduled for Sunday and Monday, sources say.

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Hong Kong

Is John Lee’s investment push in Middle East too little, too late for Hong Kong?

But economists say Hong Kong has become less appealing for Middle Eastern firms and caution Islamic law and finance may pose challenge for city’s businesses.

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