'Belt and Road Initiative yielding tangible outcomes'
Visitors attending this year's Belt and Road Summit said on Wednesday that the signature initiative launched 13 years ago is yielding more "tangible outcomes" amid rising investment appetite. Shaimerden Chikanayev, a lawyer from Kazakhstan, said Chief Executive John Lee's visit to Central Asia earlier this year has sparked interest from businesses from both regions to expand trade and…
Visitors to the Belt and Road Summit expressed Wednesday that the 13-year-old initiative is generating more tangible results as investment interest grows. Shaimerden Chikanayev, a Kazakhstan-based lawyer, credits Chief Executive John Lee's visit to Central Asia with sparking business expansion in both regions. He noted that the BRI has created tangible projects that have positively impacted lives in Kazakhstan, such as the recently commissioned light railway transport.
Chikanayev, pursuing a doctoral degree in Hong Kong, observed an increase in Kazakh firms prioritizing fundraising or dispute resolution in Hong Kong over London, citing the city's advantages in financing and common law system. Sumit Dutta, from Thailand, sees the BRI as evolving from infrastructure-focused initiatives into a broader Asian trade and investment platform, attracting international firms seeking to tap into the region's fast-growing markets and fast-moving consumer markets.
Michael Odhiambo, a Hong Kong-based entrepreneur from Kenya, hopes to expand his businesses into Southeast Asia and Africa, noting that the BRI framework simplifies business conversations and stakeholder engagements.
Written by urgent.news from RTHK English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
