The Acting Chief Executive, Mr Paul Lam, SC, today (April 24) met with members of a visiting ASEAN-China Joint Cooperation Committee delegation to exchange views on deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, as well as discuss issues of mutual concern.

　　Mr Lam welcomed the delegation's visit to Hong Kong and expressed his gratitude for the thoughtful arrangements made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) for fostering exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong and ASEAN member states.

　　Noting that Hong Kong has maintained close trade and economic ties with ASEAN, Mr Lam said that ASEAN has long been Hong Kong's second-largest trading partner. Last month, the HKSAR Government launched the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons to promote economic and trade exchanges and cultural co-operation between Hong Kong and ASEAN by providing more convenient immigration arrangements for invited persons from ASEAN countries, furthering deepening ties between Hong Kong and ASEAN.

　　During the meeting, Mr Lam introduced the advantages and development opportunities of Hong Kong to the delegation members. He said that Hong Kong has the distinctive advantage of enjoying the strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world under the "one country, two systems" principle, and has long played the important role of a "super connector" and "super value-adder". As the only common law jurisdiction in China, Hong Kong has the unique advantage of having a well-established legal system alongside top-tier legal and dispute resolution services. Mr Lam encouraged enterprises from ASEAN member states to leverage Hong Kong as a platform to explore overseas and Mainland markets through its professional services, thereby achieving mutual benefits.

　　Mr Lam also thanked ASEAN member states for their continued support for Hong Kong's accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. He said that he looks forward to strengthening collaborations with various places to help businesses explore more opportunities.

　　The delegation is visiting Hong Kong April 23 and 24, during which they will meet with Principal Officials of the HKSAR Government, the Legislative Council President, and representatives of other major institutions. The delegation will also visit Super Terminal 1 and the Legislative Council to learn about the latest developments in Hong Kong.

Ends/Thursday, April 24, 2025