Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (left) meets with Vietnamese President To Lam in Hanoi on Aug 1, 2024. - Photo provided to China Daily
HANOI: Vietnamese President To Lam said on Thursday (Aug 1) that the “milestone” visit of Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to Vietnam will drive the burgeoning cooperation between the nation and the special administrative region to new heights.
Lee is the first Hong Kong chief executive to officially visit Vietnam, the last stop of his six-day tour of three Southeast Asian nations that started Sunday.
Lam, who assumed office in May, reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to the consensus and cooperation established with China, and will respect China’s “one country, two systems” principle and the HKSAR’s Basic Law.
The president expressed gratitude to the Chinese central government and the Hong Kong SAR government for their tribute to Nguyen Phu Trong, the late former general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, who passed away last month at the age of 80.
Lam stressed that the recent change in Vietnam’s leadership will not change the country’s dedication to its people and its economic development.
He said Vietnam has prioritised its relationship with Hong Kong, and looks forward to a constructive dialogue with Lee.
The economic ties between Hong Kong and Vietnam have seen substantial growth, with trade volume reaching $31.5 billion last year, 2.5 times that of 2013.
In 2023, Hong Kong ranked as Vietnam’s fifth-largest foreign investor, while Vietnam stood as the city’s second-largest trading partner among the Association of Southeast Asian Nation countries.
Lee expressed his condolences for Trong’s death and thanked Lam and the Vietnamese government for the warm reception.
The Hong Kong delegation, comprising over 30 senior officials and business executives from various industries, signifies the city’s regard for Vietnam as a regional partner, he said.
On Thursday, Lee also met Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang and Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo.
Lee and Quang witnessed the signing of eight memorandums of understanding between Hong Kong’s and Vietnam’s public and private sectors, aimed at scaling up collaboration in finance, trade and investment.
They included three aviation-focused agreements involving Hong Kong’s Airport Authority.
Lee told Quang that the fast-growing Vietnamese companies can leverage Hong Kong’s high-caliber financial, legal and professional services, especially for going public and fundraising.
The city is a gateway for these ambitious firms to tap greater markets, including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, an 11-city cluster with over 86 million potential consumers, Lee said.
He added that Hong Kong companies have a long-standing interest in exploring the Vietnamese market, and pledged that the city will roll out more policies to facilitate their expansion into the country.
In his speech, Quang called Hong Kong “a friend and long-trusted partner”, recognising the city’s role in Vietnam’s investments.
He said the Vietnamese government is “eager” to hear more voices and opinions from the Hong Kong business sector to further bolster trade and cooperation.
Before visiting Vietnam, the delegation’s trip had resulted in the signing of 12 agreements in Laos and 13 in Cambodia, designed to foster closer economic and people-to-people ties between the SAR and the two emerging economies.
The Hong Kong delegation departed for Ho Chi Minh City, the largest metropolis in Vietnam, later on Thursday, and will return to Hong Kong on Friday night. - China Daily/ANN
