As a Council Member of Hong Kong Better Hong Kong Foundation, Rosana, Executive Director of Yau Lee Group, visited Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas have been playing the central role in the development of Saudi Arabia in the past years. Since the reform in 2019, Saudi Arabia is committed to developing culture, tourism and large-scale integrated development and minimize the dependence on oil and natural gas in order to promote economic diversification and provide multidisciplinary opportunities for the young people.

 

The Council Members visited Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia and one of its key special economic zones, as the first destination. It was an honour for the delegation to meet with the representative of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to learn about the history and economic development of the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, experiences of China corporations doing business in the region as well as connection between Hong Kong, China and Saudi Arabia and at the same time to support Hong Kong corporations to expand to Saudi Arabia. All the sharing inspired the Council Members a lot. Afterward, the delegation arrived at “THE LINE Experience”. THE LINE is part of NEOM’s future urban planning. In order to actualize Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 launched in 2016, THE LINE will be the most audacious urban development project combining the greatest architectures and the most advanced engineering and design to provide a vibrant, promising and livable community for 9 million people. The Council Members also met ministers of different sectors, members of the royal family, local business leaders, academicians and venture capitalists for discussion on trade and investment.

 

The Council Members then visited Jeddah to meet with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also the Principal of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) which focuses on academic research on AI, digital transformation, energy and agricultural technology. Later, the Council Members also visited Al-Balad, a World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO, and it retains rich and diverse history and culture after revitalization and conservation. Finally, the Council Members concluded the itinerary by visiting the first Islamic Arts Biennale. The exhibition covers an area of 120,000 square meters and brings together ancient handicrafts and contemporary artworks. It will be a great idea for a cooperation between the Islamic Arts Biennale, M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

 

Rosana thanked the Better Hong Kong Foundation for arranging this visit for the Council Members. She strongly supports a closer economic and trade relationship with Saudi Arabia initiated by the Government of the HKSAR and looks forward to the collaboration between Hong Kong, the motherland and Saudi Arabia in different fields such as economy, trade, investment and culture.