DAB To Visit Asean Countries To Promote Hong Kong

DAB members are to visit five Asean countries early next month to promote Hong Kong and clarify any "misunderstandings" they may have about the city.

At a virtual press conference on Wednesday, party chairwoman Starry Lee said a total of 16 party members – the majority of them legislators – will split into three groups and visit Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in early September.

She said Asean is an important trading partner of the SAR, adding that members will meet with commerce chambers and industry representatives to explain Hong Kong's strengths in the financial, legal and aviation arenas.

DAB member and lawmaker Kennedy Wong, who is taking part in the Indonesia trip, said he hopes to build closer partnerships with the people there.

"Nothing is better than meeting face-to-face, because unfortunately in the past three years, due to the global Covid situation, we have not received that many visitors from the Asean [countries], including business people," he said.

Wong said he also hopes to "tell the Hong Kong story well" by clarifying any misconceptions people there may have about the SAR.

"There is a lot of interest from my friends and the business community in Indonesia to learn about the true situation in Hong Kong, because unfortunately the international media has not properly reported the whole situation, in particular what really happened in 2019 and what the Hong Kong government as well as different sectors are [doing] to bring us to the next level."