Hong Kong’s leader will travel to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan next month to explore and seize new business opportunities, making Central Asia his latest area of focus and with the largest delegation accompanying him.

After several years of promoting the city in the Middle East and Southeast Asia amid geopolitical uncertainties, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that he was eyeing Central Asia next.

The delegation he will lead to the two key belt and road countries will be the largest of his administration. There will be more than 30 Hong Kong business leaders from sectors ranging from logistics to information technology, alongside about 30 entrepreneurs from mainland China.

“The Central Asian region is actively pursuing economic diversification,” he said, citing strong growth in areas such as finance, trade, infrastructure, tourism and green development. “There is significant room for collaboration with Hong Kong.”

He added that he would meet senior officials from both countries to establish a government-to-government communication mechanism, promote the city’s advantages, build new business networks and explore fresh opportunities.

The five-day trip will take place in early June and will cover Astana and Tashkent, the capitals of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, respectively.