Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov will visit Hong Kong two days after a 200-strong delegation from the Central Asian country arrived in the city via a charter flight on Monday to explore collaboration opportunities.

It was understood that a high-level Hong Kong delegation will also visit Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan soon.

Commissioner for Belt and Road Initiative Nicholas Ho Lik-chi said he was “very bullish” about the city’s relationship with Uzbekistan at a welcome event for the largest official delegation to visit the city yet, which he described as a “milestone”.

“Central Asia is no longer unfamiliar to Hong Kong companies. Increasingly, Hong Kong companies are interested and excited to experience and to invest in the opportunities that Central Asia, and in particular Uzbekistan, has to offer,” Ho said.

“Uzbekistan can be the hub for Hong Kong enterprises and Chinese companies to enter the Central Asian market and beyond. And in return, Hong Kong can be the hub for Uzbekistan companies, Central Asian companies to enter into the Greater Asian market.”

Multiple attendees at the event, including Uzbek government officials, said the prime minister of the Central Asia country would arrive in the city on Wednesday and was due to meet Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu. Seminars would also be held that day exploring deeper collaboration between the two places, they said.