With its global connectivity and world-class professional services, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region serves as an ideal two-way springboard for business expansion and can help Uzbek firms access the Chinese mainland, while enabling mainland enterprises to expand globally, including into Uzbekistan, the SAR’s leader said on Thursday. “It's why the world knows Hong Kong as the ‘superconnector’ and ‘super-value-adder.’ We are adding value to whatever we pursue for you,” John Lee Ka-chiu said at a high-level business dinner titled "Partnering for Success - Hong Kong as a 'Super Connector' and 'Super Value-Adder' for Central Asia" in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. A pivotal player in the Belt and Road Initiative, Hong Kong is one of the world's top three international financial centers, and the largest offshore renminbi hub, he said, referring to last week’s recognition of the SAR as the world's No. 1 largest cross-boundary wealth management center. Pointing out that the HKSAR and Uzbekistan are important trade and investment gateways to their respective regions, the SAR chief executive talked about several areas in which businesses and investors from the two places can deepen their cooperation, including capital markets and privatization; green and sustainable development; digitalization and innovation; high-quality services; and gold trading. Uzbekistan's ambitious privatization program, including listing state-owned enterprises such as airports and key infrastructure, aligns closely with HKSAR’s strengths as one of the world's major hubs for initial public offerings, said Lee, who is leading a 70-member delegation comprising SAR and mainland business and professional leaders to Central Asia. RELATED ARTICLES “Last year, we topped the world in both IPO volume and funds raised. Our markets can help enterprises from Uzbekistan scale, access international capital and drive high-quality development.” Pointing out that Hong Kong has ranked first in green and sustainable bond issuance in Asia