CMA Concludes Successful Middle East Trade Mission
Delegates Share Key Achievements
A 20-member business delegation led by Dr Wingco Lo, President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong (the CMA), successfully concluded its nine-day Middle East visit in Qatar today (23 May).
The delegation members include CMA Vice Presidents Mr Dennis Ng, Mr Jackson Leung, Mr Robert Lok, Dr Ellis Wong, Executive Committee Member cum Chairman of International Affairs Committee Mr Marvin Hsu, CEO Mr William Chui, along with Executive Committee Members, General Committee Members, Honorary GC Members, Convenors of Industrial Committees, Ladies’ Committee members, CMA members, and secretariat staff.
Qatar visit: Seizing opportunities under the “2030 National Vision”
During their two-day stay in Qatar, the delegation met with H.E. Mr Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the State of Qatar, and discussed how the Hong Kong business community could better leverage the Belt and Road Initiative to accelerate their market expansion into the Middle East. The delegation also attended a market briefing organised by HSBC (Qatar), gaining comprehensive insights into local market characteristics and foreign investment policies.
To capitalise on the investment opportunities presented by Qatar’s 2030 National Vision, the delegation visited the Qatar Business Incubation Centre to understand its policies and supporting facilities for manufacturing development and discussed potential collaborations with resident SMEs. Subsequently, the delegation visited Qatar Free Zones, focusing on the development potential of Hong Kong’s competitive industries such as manufacturing, logistics, new energy, and e-commerce in the region.
Reflecting on the Qatar visit, President Lo emphasised the significant collaboration potential between Hong Kong and Qatar as regional economic powerhouses in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. “Notably, Hong Kong and Qatar have substantially concluded negotiations on the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, which is expected to create more favourable conditions for market access,” he stated. “The CMA is committed to strengthening our bridging role - facilitating Hong Kong businesses’ engagement with Qatar’s dynamic economy while supporting Qatari investors in accessing opportunities in Hong Kong and the Mainland.”
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait: Economic diversification creates partnership potential
In addition to Qatar, the delegation also visited Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, each offering distinct opportunities for Hong Kong businesses. Bahrain stands out as the Gulf region’s most diversified and open market, with its strategic positioning making it an ideal gateway to the Middle East market. Saudi Arabia has emerged as a regional focal point, combining substantial population size with robust consumer spending power, while its Saudi Vision 2030 creates significant potential for trade and innovation technology collaboration with Hong Kong. Kuwait, building on existing cooperative foundations with Hong Kong, is undergoing transformation into a regional and global commercial hub through its Kuwait Vision 2035, with multiple major infrastructure projects generating new opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises across various sectors.
CMA delegates: Middle East trade mission yields fruitful results
The delegation returned to Hong Kong on 23 May. Concluding this fruitful visit, President Lo expressed sincere appreciation to the governments of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar for their warm hospitality, which provided valuable insights into the region’s economic potential and business environment.
“We have been deeply impressed by the Gulf countries’ firm commitment to economic diversification,” President Lo stated. “Hong Kong’s expertise in smart manufacturing, innovation and technology, finance, and supply chain management services positions us to support their economic transformation while opening new growth avenues for Hong Kong enterprises.”
A key focus of the delegation was evaluating the potential for advanced manufacturing and supply chain development in the Middle East. Mr Dennis Ng, Vice President of the CMA, noted that Gulf nations offer both strategic geographic advantages and a business-friendly climate, supported by progressive foreign investment policies and infrastructure development. However, he cautioned that reliance on imported materials and foreign labour elevates production costs, recommending Hong Kong manufacturers implement smart manufacturing to optimise operational efficiency.
Mr Jackson Leung, Vice President of the CMA, acknowledged the region’s distinct business culture while highlighting its significant growth potential and abundant opportunities. Noting that foreign enterprises need a longer trust-building process with local partners, he recommended Hong Kong companies implement a collaborative expansion strategy. This approach would utilise established commercial networks of Mainland and Hong Kong enterprises already operating in the region to connect with reliable partners more effectively.
The delegation also recognised immense opportunities in the region’s consumer markets. Mr Robert Lok, Vice President of the CMA, noted that Gulf countries’ strong purchasing power and demand for premium products present Hong Kong brands with attractive diversification prospects beyond traditional Western markets. In light of local religious considerations, he recommended Hong Kong businesses obtain professional halal certification to ensure full compliance with local regulations.
Dr Ellis Wong, Vice President of the CMA, also recommended that Hong Kong businesses actively explore opportunities in the growing Muslim market. These include introducing Middle Eastern culinary offerings and developing comprehensive halal-compliant tourism infrastructure and business facilities.
Below are photos from the Qatar visit:
For more photos for the Middle East visit, please visit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11KT1s8T8PD3KY4t7B5xaKHOna_RJHz7V?usp=drive_link
The delegation members include CMA Vice Presidents Mr Dennis Ng, Mr Jackson Leung, Mr Robert Lok, Dr Ellis Wong, Executive Committee Member cum Chairman of International Affairs Committee Mr Marvin Hsu, CEO Mr William Chui, along with Executive Committee Members, General Committee Members, Honorary GC Members, Convenors of Industrial Committees, Ladies’ Committee members, CMA members, and secretariat staff.
Qatar visit: Seizing opportunities under the “2030 National Vision”
During their two-day stay in Qatar, the delegation met with H.E. Mr Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the State of Qatar, and discussed how the Hong Kong business community could better leverage the Belt and Road Initiative to accelerate their market expansion into the Middle East. The delegation also attended a market briefing organised by HSBC (Qatar), gaining comprehensive insights into local market characteristics and foreign investment policies.
To capitalise on the investment opportunities presented by Qatar’s 2030 National Vision, the delegation visited the Qatar Business Incubation Centre to understand its policies and supporting facilities for manufacturing development and discussed potential collaborations with resident SMEs. Subsequently, the delegation visited Qatar Free Zones, focusing on the development potential of Hong Kong’s competitive industries such as manufacturing, logistics, new energy, and e-commerce in the region.
Reflecting on the Qatar visit, President Lo emphasised the significant collaboration potential between Hong Kong and Qatar as regional economic powerhouses in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. “Notably, Hong Kong and Qatar have substantially concluded negotiations on the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, which is expected to create more favourable conditions for market access,” he stated. “The CMA is committed to strengthening our bridging role - facilitating Hong Kong businesses’ engagement with Qatar’s dynamic economy while supporting Qatari investors in accessing opportunities in Hong Kong and the Mainland.”
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait: Economic diversification creates partnership potential
In addition to Qatar, the delegation also visited Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, each offering distinct opportunities for Hong Kong businesses. Bahrain stands out as the Gulf region’s most diversified and open market, with its strategic positioning making it an ideal gateway to the Middle East market. Saudi Arabia has emerged as a regional focal point, combining substantial population size with robust consumer spending power, while its Saudi Vision 2030 creates significant potential for trade and innovation technology collaboration with Hong Kong. Kuwait, building on existing cooperative foundations with Hong Kong, is undergoing transformation into a regional and global commercial hub through its Kuwait Vision 2035, with multiple major infrastructure projects generating new opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises across various sectors.
CMA delegates: Middle East trade mission yields fruitful results
The delegation returned to Hong Kong on 23 May. Concluding this fruitful visit, President Lo expressed sincere appreciation to the governments of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar for their warm hospitality, which provided valuable insights into the region’s economic potential and business environment.
“We have been deeply impressed by the Gulf countries’ firm commitment to economic diversification,” President Lo stated. “Hong Kong’s expertise in smart manufacturing, innovation and technology, finance, and supply chain management services positions us to support their economic transformation while opening new growth avenues for Hong Kong enterprises.”
A key focus of the delegation was evaluating the potential for advanced manufacturing and supply chain development in the Middle East. Mr Dennis Ng, Vice President of the CMA, noted that Gulf nations offer both strategic geographic advantages and a business-friendly climate, supported by progressive foreign investment policies and infrastructure development. However, he cautioned that reliance on imported materials and foreign labour elevates production costs, recommending Hong Kong manufacturers implement smart manufacturing to optimise operational efficiency.
Mr Jackson Leung, Vice President of the CMA, acknowledged the region’s distinct business culture while highlighting its significant growth potential and abundant opportunities. Noting that foreign enterprises need a longer trust-building process with local partners, he recommended Hong Kong companies implement a collaborative expansion strategy. This approach would utilise established commercial networks of Mainland and Hong Kong enterprises already operating in the region to connect with reliable partners more effectively.
The delegation also recognised immense opportunities in the region’s consumer markets. Mr Robert Lok, Vice President of the CMA, noted that Gulf countries’ strong purchasing power and demand for premium products present Hong Kong brands with attractive diversification prospects beyond traditional Western markets. In light of local religious considerations, he recommended Hong Kong businesses obtain professional halal certification to ensure full compliance with local regulations.
Dr Ellis Wong, Vice President of the CMA, also recommended that Hong Kong businesses actively explore opportunities in the growing Muslim market. These include introducing Middle Eastern culinary offerings and developing comprehensive halal-compliant tourism infrastructure and business facilities.
Below are photos from the Qatar visit:
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The CMA delegation met with H.E. Mr Cao Xiaolin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the State of Qatar (fifth from right) |
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The CMA delegation visited Qatar Free Zones to explore local development potential in manufacturing, logistics and e-commerce sectors |
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The CMA delegation toured manufacturing support facilities at Qatar Business Incubation Centre. |
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The delegation attended a briefing session hosted by HSBC (Qatar) |
For more photos for the Middle East visit, please visit:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11KT1s8T8PD3KY4t7B5xaKHOna_RJHz7V?usp=drive_link