Official: Uzbekistan to introduce visa-free regime with Hong Kong

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on June 4 received a delegation led by John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China. The Presidential Press Service reported this.

At the start of the meeting, Lee Ka-chiu conveyed to the Uzbek leader the sincere greetings and best wishes of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The meeting focused on further developing Uzbekistan-China cooperation, including through expanded interregional exchanges and practical cooperation with Hong Kong.

The sides noted with great satisfaction that relations of friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era between Uzbekistan and China have reached an unprecedented level in recent years.

Agreements reached at the highest level are being consistently implemented. In May, a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission was successfully held in Beijing, while the third Interregional Forum took place in Xi’an. An economic forum and industrial exhibition were also held in Hong Kong, where an Uzbekistan Trade House was opened.

Special attention was paid to making effective use of the existing potential to develop economic cooperation between Uzbekistan’s regions and Hong Kong. Confidence was expressed that the visit of a large delegation of Hong Kong business representatives to Tashkent would help further advance partnership in this area.

The importance of adopting a comprehensive cooperation program was emphasized. The program would aim to expand trade, economic and financial ties, establish industrial cooperation, develop education, tourism and business exchanges, and launch direct flights and consular services for citizens.

Green energy, agriculture, biotechnology, the digital economy, fintech, innovative startups, artificial intelligence and other sectors were identified as priority areas.

The sides agreed to adopt a joint roadmap on priority areas of cooperation, establish a business council, and introduce a bilateral visa-free regime with Hong Kong in the near future.

Earlier, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met with John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, in Tashkent. During the meeting, the sides exchanged verbal notes on their intention to conclude an intergovernmental agreement on establishing a mutual visa-free regime.