Uzbekistan Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov Visits Hong Kong to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister, Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, led a delegation to Hong Kong and met with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on May 6 at Government House. The two sides discussed ways to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors and jointly capitalize on opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Accompanying the Chief Executive at the meeting were Deputy Financial Secretary Joseph Wong, Deputy Secretary for Justice Cheung Kwok-kwan, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau, and Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip.

Lee welcomed Prime Minister Aripov and the high-level delegation, which included around 200 government officials and business leaders, for their participation in economic and trade events in Hong Kong. He highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road Initiative and noted Uzbekistan’s position as a major Central Asian nation rich in natural resources, equipped with a strong labor force, and experiencing rapid economic growth.

“Hong Kong is an international financial, shipping, and trade center and is striving to become an international innovation and technology hub as well as a magnet for global talent,” Mr. Lee said. He encouraged Uzbek enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong to leverage its advantages in connecting the Chinese mainland with international markets.

The Chief Executive also pointed out that Hong Kong is developing into an international post-secondary education hub—the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the global top 100. Through initiatives such as the dedicated “Study in Hong Kong” team and the Belt and Road Scholarship, the city aims to attract outstanding students worldwide. Lee specifically welcomed more young people from Uzbekistan to pursue studies and career opportunities in Hong Kong to foster greater people-to-people exchanges.

During his visit, Prime Minister Aripov attended the “Made in Uzbekistan” exhibition and the Uzbekistan-China (Hong Kong) Business Forum. In his remarks at these events, Lee described Hong Kong as an ideal partner for Uzbek companies seeking to expand into the Chinese market.

The visit underscores growing interest in strengthening economic, trade, educational, and cultural ties between Hong Kong and Uzbekistan under the Belt and Road framework.