Asia, Africa and Middle East CommitteeIncoming Visitors

It was a pleasure to welcome Haruyuki Yada, Director-General, Planning Department, JETRO Headquarters along with his colleagues, to the Chamber on July 7. They were greeted by Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung, General Committee member Edmond Yue, and Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee Chairman Dewan Saiful Alam, who shared views on current investment landscape and business environment for foreign companies in Hong Kong.

The visitors were eager to get an in-depth analysis of the Hong Kong economy, along with the GBA, given the imposition of tariffs and other protective measures by the U.S. and how it is affecting business sentiment. Hong Kong has been diversifying its markets by expanding into emerging markets. Finance and professional business services are relatively unaffected by protectionism and continue to grow.

U.S. companies continue to maintain a strong presence in Hong Kong, with the number of their offices increasing steadily since 2022 to rank third -- behind only those from mainland China and Japan. Alam emphasized Hong Kong’s pivotal role within the Greater Bay Area, where businesses can benefit from streamlined processes, access to top-tier talent, favourable regulations, and an advantageous tax system. Additionally, the implementation of CEPA 2.0 in March 2025 provides foreign companies in Hong Kong with further opportunities to access preferential policies and expand into the mainland Chinese market.

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.