The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will resume direct flights with Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, in the first quarter of 2027 and establish a blood purification product manufacturing base in the Central Asian country.

The agreements were among 43 memorandums of understanding and cooperation deals signed by a high-level trade delegation comprising 40 Hong Kong business and professional leaders and 30 representatives from Chinese mainland enterprises.

Led by Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, the delegation arrived on Sunday in Kazakhstan, the first stop on a weeklong Central Asia trip.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, Lee said the 43 MOUs cover the economy and trade, investment, financial services, technology, education, aviation and green finance.

Among the key outcomes was the relaunch of direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty. Lee said the resumption of flights will make it easier for Hong Kong passengers to travel to Central Asia, the Caucasus region and Eastern European cities via Almaty.

Following Lee's announcement, Hong Kong's flag carrier Cathay Pacific said it plans to launch three flights a week to Almaty in the first quarter of next year.

Lee said the SAR government will also negotiate with Kazakhstan to expand visa-free access for SAR passport holders from the current 14 to 30 days, to facilitate business and tourism.

A Hong Kong capital company and Samruk-Kazyna, Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund and national holding company, will jointly invest $100 million to establish a regional blood purification product manufacturing center in Kazakhstan, Lee said.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd will assist the Astana International Financial Centre, a leading financial hub in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, in exploring cross-border listings and developing its green finance ecosystem.

Kazakhstan has agreed to accelerate consultations with the Hong Kong SAR on a comprehensive double taxation avoidance agreement and will begin formal negotiations on an investment promotion and protection agreement, laying the foundation for long-term cooperation.

On Tuesday afternoon, the delegation attended a business luncheon aimed at strengthening ties.

Serik Zhumangarin, Kazakhstan's deputy prime minister and national economy minister, said the signed documents form an important basis for further cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Hong Kong SAR.

Li Xiaojun, chairman of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, said the delegation could serve as a bridge to the Central Asian market, enabling parties to jointly advance economic development through cutting-edge technologies and biomedicine.

Baidaulet, a 37-year-old Astana resident who studied Chinese in China and regularly uses Chinese social media apps such as WeChat, said he has observed increasingly close relations between China and Kazakhstan. He added that the Hong Kong SAR delegation's visit will bring new opportunities for cooperation, particularly in investment.

Lee will lead the delegation on Wednesday to visit the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Nazarbayev University. Two Hong Kong universities will sign MOUs with Nazarbayev University to expand exchanges with higher education institutions.

Contact the writers at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com