96 deals signed, flights planned: what’s next for Hong Kong and Central Asia?

Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has wrapped up his visit to Central Asia after meeting high-level leaders and sealing nearly 100 Partnership Agreements aimed at opening the “big door” for local and mainland Chinese businesses.While reviving direct flights to the region was considered a big win from the trip, observers noted that the real challenges lay ahead as authorities and different parties must take necessary follow-up actions to realise the gains.Local authorities and businesses signed 96 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with their Central Asian counterparts, sealing 61 in Kazakhstan and 35 in Uzbekistan. The deals spanned sectors including finance, innovation, trade and media.