 | | It was a pleasure to welcome Abdulla Alnoaimi, United Arab Emirates Commercial Attaché to the People’s Republic of China, to the Chamber on April 23, accompanied by UAE’s Consul General in Hong Kong, Shaikh Saoud Al Mualla, and Ahmed Elbeshlawy, Economic Analyst.
HKGCC Chairman Agnes Chan and members welcomed the visitors, who discussed the upcoming Investopia – Hong Kong Edition, which is scheduled to take place in Hong Kong in mid-September. The investment platform aims to facilitate global collaboration between investors, business leaders and governments to identify and launch new investment opportunities, promote economic growth, and incubate future economies around the world.
Alnoaimi highlighted the significance of the Hong Kong-UAE partnership, and how both economies serve as the main entry points to surrounding regions. The UAE is also aiming to attract more investments by allowing full foreign ownership of businesses, easy repatriation of funds, and sectoral free trade zones, among other incentives. As such, it has attracted around 15,500 Chinese companies to operate in the UAE, often as a hub to enter MENA markets.
Chan agreed on the importance of deepening connections with UAE through co-organizing events and visits, and also explained about the many benefits Hong Kong can offer to UAE companies.
| | 2025/04/23 |
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 | | Abdul Aziz Abdulla Al Ghurair, Chairman of Mashreq in the United Arab Emirates, and his colleagues visited the Chamber on 8 April to learn more about the development and application of innovation and advanced technologies in Hong Kong. Chamber Chairman Agnes Chan, CEO Patrick Yeung, and leaders from the Asia, Africa & Middle East and Innovation Data & Communication committees welcomed the guests.
Al Ghurair highlighted Mashreq Group's significant presence in the MENA region and South Asia, with a strong track record of over 40 years in Hong Kong. Leveraging its expertise in these regions, Mashreq is well-positioned to complement international banking institutions focused on traditional markets, aligning with Hong Kong's strategy to tap into the emerging market economy.
Tarek El Nahas, Head of International Banking at Mashreq Group, emphasized the crucial role of local partners in facilitating overseas expansion. He noted the underrepresentation of Chinese brands in the Middle East and proposed that Mashreq's reputation and support could provide liquidity when establishing a new branch.
Chan concurred on the importance of local partners in market familiarization, citing the Government's initiative on regional collaboration during the CPPCC Standing Committee Session. Timothy Tam, Vice Chairman of the Innovation Data & Communication Committee, shared the interests of start-ups and green technologies partners in the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and suggested opportunities for collaboration.
| | 2025/04/08 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome Orumbayeva Asel, Advisor to the Group’s President, Fincraft Group Ltd, along with her colleagues, to the Chamber on March 24. They were greeted by HKGCC CEO Patrick Yeung, Belt and Road Convenor Edmond Yue, Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam, and Vice Chairman Zaman Minhas Qamar, who exchange views on the business landscape in Kazakhstan, and investment opportunities in Hong Kong.
As one of the largest mining and metallurgy firms in Kazakhstan, Fincraft Group is diversifying its business beyond oil and gas production, with exports mainly to China. The group is shifting towards more sustainable practices, including the development of a full-cycle facility for gas processing, depositing of rare earth materials for electric vehicles and renewable energy, as well as providing venture opportunities for foreign investors.
Kanatuly Azamat, Head of the Investment Office, Fincraft Group Ltd, highlighted that as a full member of the Eurasian Economic Union, Kazakhstan is currently experiencing accelerated economic growth, with access to Western Europe and Asia under the Belt and Road Initiative. Patrick Yeung agreed on the potential of businesses in Kazakhstan and encouraged Fincraft Group to leverage the recently agreed trilateral cooperation between Kazakhstan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), and Hong Kong to expand its business into ASEAN through Hong Kong.
| | 2025/03/24 |
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 | | It was an education to speak with Donald P Kaberuka, Chairman and Managing Partner of SouthBridge, a Pan-African financial advisory during his visit to the Chamber on 10 March. He was the 7th President of the African Development Bank Group and is credited for expanding the reach and impact of AfDB, Africa’s Premier financial institution.
Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung and members welcomed Donald, who was accompanied by Rose Kay, COO, Standard Chartered Bank. He was eager to hear members’ experiences about doing business and investing in Africa and where they could improve. He also explained that demand for financial, digital, and professional business services is highly dynamic on the continent, driven by a young population moving to urban areas. This population is very tech-savvy and has been leapfrogging in their use of mobile digital services in both daily life and business. The Mainland has been assisting in upgrading Africa’s infrastructure, including railways and ports, to support economic development. As direct flights between Hong Kong and African countries are limited, Donald hopes that more airlines will begin offering direct flights
| | 2025/03/10 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome New Zealand Consul General Peter Lund and Deputy Consul General Jocelyn Ng to the Chamber this morning for an exchange of information and views on a wide range of topics. Consul General Lund explained that Hong Kong ranks as New Zealand’s 10th largest export market, with agriculture underpinning the economy. He also highlighted that tourism and the services sector are important pillars of the economy, noting that Hong Kong is among the top five investors in New Zealand.
Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung, along with Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam and Vice Chairman Zaman Minhas Qamar, welcomed the guests and updated them on the Chamber's activities. Yeung also mentioned that the Chamber will soon launch the Asia International Index, which will enable Hong Kong to benchmark itself against other Asian cities and see where it excels as well as where we can improve.
| | 2025/03/03 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome Seizo Tsuji, Director of the Business Establishment Section, Wakayama Prefecture Government, along with his colleagues, to the Chamber on February 19. They were greeted by HKGCC CEO Patrick Yeung, Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam, Vice Chairman Zaman Minhas Qamar, and Retail & Tourism Committee Vice Chairman Bella Chhoa, who exchanged views on the hotel investment environment in Wakayama Prefecture and the general investment landscape in Japan.
Wakayama Prefecture, located in the Kansai region, is an hour away from Kansai International Airport. Despite its proximity to the metropolis, the prefecture enjoys abundant natural beauty, with a scenic southwest coastline facing the Pacific Ocean, as well as rich traditional culture and craftsmanship. Although the prefecture has attracted a significant number of tourists, particularly from China after COVID-19, only 25% of the 20 million visitors opted to stay overnight. As explained by Tsuji, the prefecture’s hotel industry is dominated by family-owned private onsen hotels, which have limited guest capacity.
To encourage overnight tourism, the Wakayama prefecture government has been working on developing relevant hotel infrastructure, including extending the runway of Nanki-Shirahama Airport to receive international flight by 2035, and offering tax incentives and value-added services to attract luxury global hotel chains to enter Wakayama. Yeung agrees that hotel infrastructure is necessary to capture overnight visitors, especially given the anticipated trend of increasing tourists driven by the depreciation of Japanese Yen. He also suggested that the Wakayama prefecture government consider drawing Gen-Z tourists to stay in by encouraging and regulating Airbnb facilities.
| | 2025/02/19 |
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 | | We had a useful and insightful discussion today on Kazakhstan’s business climate and developments with Almas Seitakynov, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan on 13 February. He explained that FDI into the country represents 61% of all FDI into Central Asia, with the Netherlands being by far the largest investor with US$71.b in projects, followed by the USA, Switzerland and China fourth.
Its strategic location gives it access to major markets, it has been expanding its sea, rail, road and air facilities as its importance on the Belt and Road also increases. It has also been attracting investments in financial and professional services, including from Hong Kong companies.
He also mentioned the Astana International Forum, which takes place from 29-30 in May 2025. This year’s theme revolves around the shared responsibility for collectively building a better world. More details of the forum can be found here https://astanainternationalforum.org/
| | 2025/02/13 |
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 | | Today, we had the privilege of welcoming Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Djibouti, who provided valuable insights into the investment potential and business opportunities in this strategically located country in the Horn of Africa.
Dewan Saiful Alam, Chairman of the Asia, Africa, and Middle East Committee, along with Vice Chairmen Yolane Japhet and Zaman Minhas Qamar, welcomed him and recapped discussions from last year's visit by Djibouti's Prime Minister, H.E. Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed.
Dawaleh highlighted Djibouti's role as a critical gateway for transshipments to the surrounding landlocked African hinterland. He also extended an invitation for the Chamber to consider leading a delegation to Djibouti, allowing businesses to explore the opportunities firsthand.
| | 2025/01/17 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome H.E. Khalil Hashmi, the Ambassador of Pakistan to China, to the Chamber on January 14. Chairman Agnes Chan greeted him and provided an overview of the HKGCC's work in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and internationally. They also explored ways to help more companies understand the market opportunities in Pakistan.
CEO Patrick Yeung introduced the new Chamber Academy, designed to assist companies in enhancing their knowledge and skills to thrive in the AI and digital age. Dewan Saiful Alam, Chairman of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, along with Vice Chairman Zaman Minhas Qamar, updated the Ambassador and the Consul General of Pakistan in Hong Kong, Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, on the committee's initiatives and market opportunities available for Pakistani companies in Hong Kong.
| | 2025/01/14 |
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 | | Senior government officials and industry leaders gathered at the Singapore-Hong Kong Business Roundtable for fruitful exchanges, underscoring the immense potential for opportunities and collaboration between two of Asia's economic powerhouses on 14 January. Organized by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) and the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the event was a resounding success!
Distinguished guests included Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau, HKGCC Chairman Agnes Chan, BBS, SBF Chairman Ming Yan Lim, and Singapore Consul General to Hong Kong Ong Siew Gay.
During the event, the Chairmen of HKGCC and SBF signed a Memorandum of Understanding, marking the second successful collaboration between the two organizations.
The roundtable featured two insightful panel discussions on the themes “Digital Finance, Innovation & Entrepreneurship,” and “Supply Chains and Climate Change,” further emphasizing the commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable practices in both regions.
We look forward to strengthening mutual ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration!
| | 2025/01/14 |
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