ع
Qatar sent a high-level delegation to the 11th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong the Qatar News Agency reported with Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed at its head. The two-day event which concluded the previous day focused on advancing high-quality development under the theme of embarking on a new journey and attracted more than 6200 participants from over 70 countries and regions according to the summit organisers. Al-Sayed took part in a policy dialogue session on building resilient trade and investment frameworks in a diverse global landscape while also engaging in multiple bilateral meetings.
The minister met Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee who recalled high-level visits and agreements signed the previous year that established a basis for expanded ties in finance investment and innovation. Lee noted that Hong Kong as the world’s top-ranked economy in freedom from capital controls could support Qatar’s National Vision 2030 through green finance and fintech services. In the meeting both sides explored opportunities to deepen cooperation amid a global shift of economic gravity eastward and Lee told his counterpart that “connectivity co-operation and consensus are essential”.
Al-Sayed emphasised during the summit that Qatar and China its top trading partner aim to broaden their strategic partnership beyond energy into logistics technology and industrial sectors. He held additional talks with Hong Kong officials including the secretaries for commerce and economic development innovation technology and industry and financial services and the treasury. These discussions examined ways to increase trade volumes that have doubled with the Hong Kong region over the past two years according to Hong Kong Trade Development Council data.
The summit placed special emphasis on the Middle East featuring a dedicated zone and panel that included representatives from Qatar the United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia Kuwait and Oman a Hong Kong government statement indicated. Chief Executive Lee highlighted the economic might of the Middle East in contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative while addressing geopolitical fragmentation and the need for greater connectivity. More than a dozen Middle Eastern countries now participate in the initiative according to a report from The National.
Al-Sayed toured the Qatar Pavilion at the summit’s exhibition area and received briefings on investment initiatives from neighbouring Gulf pavilions as well. The participation forms part of Qatar’s broader push to forge international partnerships for sustainable development in response to worldwide economic challenges the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in a statement. Organisers announced that the event produced over 60 memoranda of understanding and arranged more than 800 business meetings to foster concrete outcomes.
