Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said here Monday that Hong Kong, with its distinctive advantages, can be a "super-connector" between the Chinese mainland and Southeast Asian countries in their development.
Leung said at the opening of the 2nd ASEAN Development Forum that ASEAN has a close economic and trade relationship with Hong Kong and it has become Hong Kong's second largest trading partner in terms of goods, exceeding the U.S. and European Union.
Located between the Chinese Mainland and ASEAN countries, Hong Kong is an important transportation hub, he said. Hong Kong will soon set up an economic and trade office in Jakarta to strengthen ties with both Indonesia and the entire ASEAN, Leung said.
A free trade agreement is expected to be reached next year between between Hong Kong and Indonesia as favorable progress has been made in negotiations in this regard, he added. Hong Kong enjoys the advantages of being part of China under the "one country, two systems" policy while having its own system different from that of the mainland.
The Basic Law also authorizes Hong Kong to participate in international organizations and sign agreements with other places. Leung said these distinctive edges and experiences will enable Hong Kong to play the role of a "super-connector" between the mainland and ASEAN in implementation of the Belt and Road initiative and the development of Southeast Asian region.
Meanwhile, Leung said, different civil groups in Hong Kong have maintained close and friendly relations with the ASEAN countries for long. The ties can help push ahead Hong Kong's exchanges with countries along the Belt and Road in the fields of of culture and education, as well as among young people, the chief executive said.
This, in turn, can help strengthen Hong Kong's external relations and lay a solid social foundation for the implementation of the Belt and Road initiative, while promoting interconnection in other aspects, he added.
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