Americas CommitteeIncoming Visitors

On 30 September, we had the privilege of hosting Federico Lage, the first Consul General of Uruguay’s Consulate General in Hong Kong, which was established in May 2025. He was warmly received by Americas Committee Chairman Mark Michelson and former Chairman Evaristo Treviño Berlanga. The two sides exchanged views on fostering trade ties between Uruguay and Hong Kong.

Consul General Lage emphasized Uruguay’s strategic importance as a trade hub for MNCs accessing South American markets. With a population of 3 million, Uruguay sustains food exports for nearly 30 million people worldwide. He identified key sectors for expanding trade and investment, including IT, R&D, life sciences, energy transition, agriculture, and F&B.

Consul General Lage also underscored the country’s dedication to sustainability, noting that nearly 100% of its electricity is generated from renewable sources. Uruguay is also one of the few countries with a mandatory electronic livestock traceability system, reflecting its commitment to agricultural excellence and transparency

It was a pleasure to welcome H.E. Luis Oswaldo López Álvarez, Ambassador of the Republic of El Salvador to the People´s Republic of China, along with his delegation, to the Chamber on 17 September. They were warmly received by Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung and Americas Committee Vice Chairman Susana Muñoz Enríquez. Both sides exchanged views on El Salvador’s investment opportunities and Hong Kong’s vibrant business landscape.

Ambassador Álvarez highlighted the country’s strategic advantages, including its prime geographic location, which enables short travel times to major cities in the Americas through 34 direct international routes. With numerous trade agreements, El Salvador offers access to 1.2 billion consumers across 41 countries. It ranked first in Latin America for trade facilitation, providing cost-effective operations and significant progress in digitalization and process streamlining. Notably, the time required to establish a company has been reduced from 30 days to 8 days. Key investment sectors include aeronautics, food and beverage, digital assets, software development, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals and tourism infrastructure.