BANGKOK, Feb 28 (TNA) – Hong Kong opens a trade office in Bangkok, the third in ASEAN, during the two-day Thailand visit by Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
The Chief Executive of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) officiated the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Bangkok on Thursday.
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who headed the Thai delegation in talks and receiving top executives of HKSAR, said the office reflected Hong Kong viewed Thailand’s potentials as regional hub for trade and investment.
It also marked both sides’ commitment to promote trade and investment, he said.
Thailand and Hong Kong also signed four agreements to boost trade volumes, promote startups and IT development during Lam’s visit.
Bangkok ETO is the third in ASEAN countries, after Jakarta and Singapore.
Somkid said the ETO would enable Hong Kong to explore the ASEAN market, especially to gain benefits from a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the HKSAR and ASEAN that was signed in 2017.
During her visit to Bangkok on Wednesday and Thursday, Lam also attended a business seminar co-hosted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand.
Hong Kong is a major trade partner of ASEAN with total trade volume of US$120 billion in 2018. It is Thailand’s ninth largest trade partner with projected trade volume of US$12.5 billion in 2018. (TNA)
