2023 marked the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, with Hong Kong actively stepping up its role to showcase its unique strengths to Belt and Road countries. Chief Executive John Lee led a delegation to the Middle East, signing 13 memorandums of understanding with Middle Eastern nations to promote the development of green and smart cities in the region.

The government is leading efforts to open up the Middle Eastern market, encouraging Hong Kong businesses to seize opportunities in the region’s green economy. Jeffrey Lam, Executive Council member and founder of the non-profit Hong Kong Ambassadors Club, along withPatrick Tsang, organized two delegations of businesses from various sectors to meet with Middle Eastern political and business leaders. These exchanges resulted in several memorandums of understanding being signed between Hong Kong companies and their Middle Eastern counterparts, including Grade A Energy Limited, Green Mondy, and Rice Robotics, opening the door for green businesses to enter the Middle Eastern market, and sharing Hong Kong’s green technologies with local enterprises.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Science Park has played a key role in opening up the Middle Eastern market, leading eight tech companies to participate in a large-scale technology exhibition in Saudi Arabia. This showcased Hong Kong’s strengths in green technology. Among them, a startup focused on electric vehicle charging solutions connected with potential local customers during the event, strengthening its confidence in exploring opportunities in the region.

What challenges and opportunities have they faced while venturing into the Middle Eastern green market?