By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-11-17 05:14:34 | Updated at 2024-11-23 01:10:46
5 days ago
Hong Kong will explore striking a free-trade agreement with more countries in Latin America, the city’s leader has said, revealing a deal recently signed with Peru will take effect in about six months.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also began wrapping up his first official visit to South America as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit drew to a close on Saturday (local time).
A day earlier, Hong Kong signed a free-trade agreement with Peru on the sidelines of the summit.
“The agreement has to go through some legal procedures. I believe it will take half a year, but it will be followed by a variety of opportunities,” Lee said.
“We will consider talks on signing a free-trade agreement with the Pacific Alliance to further explore new growth areas in Latin America.”
The alliance is a regional trade bloc of states that border the Pacific Ocean and comprises Peru, Chile, Colombia and Mexico.
