Hong Kong has opened a new trade office in Malaysia, with a minister saying the move is part of a strategic push to deepen regional ties and will help position the city as a bridge between the country and the Greater Bay Area.
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah said on Tuesday that the opening of the Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Kuala Lumpur would strengthen Hong Kong’s presence in the region.
“The establishment of the new [ETO] in Kuala Lumpur is a highly strategic move,” he said in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post.
“By setting up a dedicated office in Malaysia, the Hong Kong government can better manage regional resources and provide targeted support across Southeast Asia.”
Yau, who officiated the office’s opening ceremony, noted that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, continued to serve as Hong Kong’s second-largest merchandise trading partner.
The Asean bloc comprises the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and East Timor.
