Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc had a meeting with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee Ka-chiu on December 19 as part of his working visit to Hong Kong, China.

Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc (left) and Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee Ka-chiu at their meeting on December 19.

During the meeting, Phoc extended his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the recent apartment fire in Hong Kong.

He congratulated Hong Kong on the successful organisation of the eighth Legislative Council election. He reaffirmed Vietnam's firm support for the "one country, two systems" policy, the Basic Law and related regulations of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong's prosperous development and and the well-being of its people.

The Deputy PM encouraged Vietnamese ministries, sectors and localities to further strengthen and deepen friendly exchanges and comprehensive cooperation with Hong Kong in areas including the economy, trade, investment, finance and tourism.

Welcoming Deputy PM Phoc and the Vietnamese government delegation, Chief Executive John Lee expressed confidence that the visit would significantly promote mutually beneficial cooperation between Hong Kong, mainland China and Vietnam.

He underscored the importance of advancing bilateral relations across various fields, thereby contributing to enriching the China–Vietnam comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

He reaffirmed the strong confidence of both the Hong Kong administration and business community in Vietnam’s potential, development prospects and the future of relations between the HKSAR and Vietnam.

To further strengthen cooperation, the two sides agreed to continue effectively implementing the common perceptions reached by senior leaders of Vietnam and China, as well as the outcomes of exchanges between Vietnamese and Hong Kong leaders.

Priorities include increasing exchanges and visits at all levels, promoting cooperation frameworks, and expanding and improving the quality and effectiveness of cooperation in trade, investment and finance.

The Hong Kong side expressed its readiness to share experience in financial and monetary policy management, particularly in the establishment and operation of a gold exchange.

It also pledged to promote strategic connectivity and encourage Hong Kong businesses to invest in large-scale infrastructure connectivity, innovation, the digital economy, green and circular economies, and energy transition, while supporting the linkage of the two stock markets and assisting Vietnamese enterprises seeking listings in Hong Kong.

Both sides agreed to strengthen coordination in citizen protection, judicial cooperation and law enforcement, and to further facilitate the Vietnamese community in Hong Kong.

Commending the academic achievements of Vietnamese students at leading Hong Kong universities, John Lee said Hong Kong was willing to offer additional scholarships to outstanding Vietnamese students.

He also expressed a desire to expand cooperation in culture, education, tourism and labour, and to enhance coordination within multilateral economic cooperation mechanisms of which both sides are members.

While in Hong Kong, the Vietnamese Deputy PM also met Jonathan Choi, Chairman of the Sunwah Group and VinaCapital.

The group praised Vietnam’s investment environment, particularly policies on establishing an International Financial Centre (IFC), and affirmed its readiness to invest in the IFC in Ho Chi Minh City and connect Chinese and Hong Kong investors in emerging areas such as green finance and digital assets.

From December 17 to 19, the delegation conducted surveys in Shanghai and Hong Kong, holding working sessions with the World Gold Council, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Futures Exchange, and the Hong Kong Gold Exchange to exchange experience on establishing and operating a gold exchange and to study the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks.

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