Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), visited Doha, Qatar, from 24 to 27 October at the invitation of the Qatari government, meeting senior officials and business leaders to strengthen long-term ties between Hong Kong and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The visit matters because it signals Hong Kong's proactive strategy to deepen economic partnerships in the Middle East, a region of growing importance for trade and investment diversification.
During the visit, Prof Ma met with Qatar's Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Bahrain's Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, and leaders from Invest Qatar, the Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar National Bank, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Qatar Development Bank. These high-level meetings focused on infrastructure, logistics, technology, and manufacturing, highlighting potential for strategic partnerships leveraging Hong Kong's role as a super-connector and super value-adder.
Speaking at the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Forum session titled "International Investment Facilitation Policies: Creating Partnerships for Sustainable Development," Prof Ma underscored Hong Kong's position as a trusted platform for global investment and trade. He said, "Despite current geopolitical volatility, I believe it is important to reach out and build important relationships to ensure long-term economic development around the world." He emphasized that Hong Kong, under the One Country, Two Systems arrangement, combines connectivity to the Chinese Mainland and global markets with an international business environment based on common law, free flow of capital, and global standards.
The HKTDC, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, has been actively promoting business connectivity through missions to Qatar and Kuwait in 2025, the UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2023, and Central Asia in June. The council's network of 51 offices worldwide, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, helps connect people around the world to create business success. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences, and business missions to create opportunities, and provides market insights via trade publications and research reports.
The visit's implications extend beyond bilateral trade. By engaging with key GCC stakeholders, Hong Kong positions itself as a gateway for Middle Eastern capital and enterprises seeking access to Asian markets, particularly the Chinese Mainland. The HKTDC's special Middle East Chapter and Middle East Zone at the Belt and Road Summit in September 2026, attended by some 6,200 business and government leaders from over 70 countries, further demonstrate the council's commitment to facilitating cross-regional collaboration. As global supply chains recalibrate, such high-level engagements could yield tangible investment flows and partnerships, reinforcing Hong Kong's role as an international financial centre and super-connector.
