HONG KONG, Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Hon. Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu – Jotham Napat Nauka, led a senior government delegation to Hong Kong and successfully convene the event “Future and Development of Vanuatu–Hong Kong Relationship for 2026 and beyond: Press conference of the Hon. Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu’s visit to Hong Kong” during which he delivered a keynote address on the future trajectory of Vanuatu–Hong Kong relations.
The Hon. Prime Minister Napat stated that the visit marks the entry of Vanuatu–Hong Kong relations into a new phase characterized by strengthened political mutual trust, deeper institutional engagement, upgraded financial cooperation, and comprehensive connectivity with capital markets.
During the visit, the Hon. Prime Minister held pragmatic and productive meetings with Leaders and Senior Officials of the Government of the Hong Kong S.A.R on issues of common interest as it highlights that bilateral trade between Hong Kong and Vanuatu continues to grow, adding that the prospects for co-operation between the two places are broad and promising.
The Hon. Prime Minister met with the Hon. John KC LEE Chief Executive, and the two leaders exchanged views on issues of mutual interest reaching a high degree of consensus on the future direction of bilateral relations.
Both sides agreed that, against the backdrop of profound adjustments in the international landscape and the continued deepening of regional cooperation, Vanuatu–Hong Kong relations possess broad strategic potential. They emphasized the need to elevate the level of cooperation, expand its scope, and improve cooperation mechanisms, advancing bilateral relations from project-based collaboration toward institutionalized, structural, and long-term partnerships.
Both sides agree to establish more stable, regularized, and mechanism-based frameworks that set the base for communication and coordination, and enhance dialogue across areas of mutual interest: including regional affairs, development agendas, international organizations, economic governance, financial regulation, and institutional development.
Both sides agree to actively advance the establishment of principles for financial parity and mutual recognition of relevant licenses and progressively build a medium- to long-term cooperation framework encompassing both traditional finance and emerging digital finance.
Both sides also agree to strengthen bilateral synergies within regional financial systems and further consolidate political trust and policy alignment. Through enhanced intergovernmental strategic communication and policy coordination, the two sides aim to foster a more transparent, predictable, and sustainable institutional environment for enterprises, financial institutions, and market participants to engage in cross-border cooperation.
