Asia, Africa and Middle East CommitteeIncoming Visitors

Robert Lee, ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Fiji in China, called on the Chamber on 6 June. He was accompanied by Jenny Seeto, Chairman, Kamal Chetty, Chief Executive Officer, Investment Fiji, and the delegation from the Embassy. They were welcomed by Chamber Chairman Agnes Chan, Vice Chairman Pang Chun Yu, CEO Patrick Yeung, and leaders and members from the Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee.
 
Lee introduced Fiji's current direction, focusing on poverty eradication through developing culture, handicraft, and culinary industries to attract tourism. He acknowledged the need to optimize bilateral relations with China, learning from the country's successful path and seeking economic opportunities. Additionally, he suggested that Fiji could tap into China's capital markets through Shanghai and Hong Kong, recruiting talent, investment, and infrastructure projects.
 
As a previous British colony with Western cultural influences, Lee acknowledged the general bias among Fijians towards China. However, he noted the cultural affinity between Hong Kong and Fiji, built on the success of the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, and suggested that Hong Kong could serve as a gateway to deepen Fijians' understanding of China and provide access to China under the advantage of One Country, Two Systems. Chan agreed and highlighted the ease of doing business in Hong Kong's unique position as a common law jurisdiction, providing integral connections to the Greater Bay Area ecosystem, acting as both a super-connector and value-adder.

It was a pleasure to welcome H.E. Willy Kipkorir Bett, Ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to China, along with his delegation, to the Chamber on June 2. They were greeted by HKGCC CEO Patrick Yeung, Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam, and SME Committee Vice Chairman Simon Hui. The parties exchanged views on Kenya’s investment opportunities and Hong Kong’s dynamic business landscape.

Strategically located along the coast, Kenya’s Mombasa Port serves as a key logistics hub for landlocked nations such as Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and other Central African countries. Blessed with diverse terrain, Kenya is also ideal for renewable energy development—93% of its power supply comes from clean sources, primarily hydro and geothermal, while solar and wind energy are rapidly expanding.

Dubbed the "Silicon Savannah," Kenya is home to leading pan-African B2B e-commerce platforms such as AMBESA and is actively advancing digital transformation across its public and private sectors. Ambassador Bett highlighted that, with robust infrastructure development under the Belt and Road Initiative, now is an opportune time for foreign investors to explore Kenya’s vast potential. Additionally, Kenya’s preferential trade policies and memberships in the East African Community Customs Union, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Tripartite Free Trade Area, and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) ensure seamless market access for investors targeting Eastern and Central Africa.

Vietnam’s economy is booming as the government focuses on attracting investment in high-tech industries, financial services, and professional services, said Do Quoc Hung, Director General, Asia-Africa Market Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade of Viet Nam, who led a delegation to the Chamber on 28 May to promote e-commerce, trade and investment.

He added that the new government is cutting red tape, revising laws and improving infrastructure to support its growing economy and to attract more overseas companies.

Small businesses and e-commerce are key drivers of Vietnam’s economic development, with e-commerce growing 22% in 2024 year-on-year to reach US$25 billion. According to Tran Thuy Tien from the E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency, under the National Master Plan on E-commerce, online retail sales are expected to grow 20-30% annually in the coming years.

Galvin Chia, Principal Economist, HKTDC, also speaking at the event, was equally bullish. A recent HKTDC survey ranked ASEAN as the market with the most potential, second only to China. He noted that the Hong Kong Government’s plan to inject HK$2.5 billion into the BUD Fund to support SMEs, along with expanding the E-commerce Easy program to all 10 ASEAN countries, will further drive ecommerce growth.

The discussions, hosted by Chamber General Committee Member Edmond Yue and Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam, were followed by a productive networking session where attendees sampled Vietnamese F&B products.