BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. Kazakhstan could serve as Hong Kong's Central Asian hub, providing access to Eastern Europe, the Overseas Public Relations Sub-division of the Information Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government told Trend.
The proposed ''hub-to-hub'' model is seen as a way to expand trade, investment and logistics cooperation between SAR and Kazakhstan.
''Hong Kong can serve as Kazakhstan’s Asian hub through the Chinese Mainland market, Southeast Asia, East Asia and more; while Kazakhstan can serve as Hong Kong’s Central Asian hub, with connection to Xinjiang, Shaanxi, and Eastern Europe,'' the department said.
According to the Hong Kong authorities, Kazakhstan is an important commercial and logistics hub connecting China and Europe. It was also the location where the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed and became Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Central Asia in 2025.
The department noted that there are broad prospects for further cooperation between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan, with bilateral trade and economic relations showing steady growth in recent years.
In 2025, total merchandise trade between Hong Kong and Central Asia reached $324.3 million, up 27% compared with 2020.
Since 2022, Invest Hong Kong has maintained a consultant office in Almaty to attract investments and high-potential companies from Central Asia. The Hong Kong SAR Government also plans to use the global networks of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to further strengthen economic and trade ties with Kazakhstan.
In September 2025, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian entity to issue a 2 billion yuan ''dim sum'' bond in Hong Kong.
Moreover, the Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee led a business delegation to Kazakhstan in June 2026. According to the department, the visit produced ''fruitful results'' in establishing high-level contacts between the governments of Hong Kong and Kazakhstan.
During the visit, the two sides agreed to begin discussions on a comprehensive double taxation avoidance agreement and a bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement. They also agreed to deepen project matching and research cooperation and advance the hub-to-hub cooperation model.
Following the visit, a roundtable was held in Hong Kong on Kazakhstan's Alatau City project. The department also noted recent cooperation between a Hong Kong family office and Kazakh authorities on sustainable energy.
In 2025, Kazakhstan's exports to Hong Kong amounted to $1.4 million, up 22% compared with 2020. Major imported commodity categories included electronics and computers.
The SAR authorities said they welcomed more Kazakh products entering the Hong Kong market and leveraging the city's role as a ''super connector'' and ''super value-adder'' to access opportunities in mainland China and other regional markets.
