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The Hong Kong Trade Development Council announced that its chairman, Prof Frederick Ma, travelled to Doha from October 24 to 27 at the invitation of the Qatari government to build longer-term business connections with Qatar and the broader GCC region. Ma engaged with ministers and executives on economic trends alongside potential collaboration in infrastructure, logistics, technology and manufacturing. The council described Hong Kong as a super-connector and super value-adder that can link capital and enterprises across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
According to the HKTDC, Ma held discussions with Qatar’s Minister of Finance Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari and Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed as well as Bahrain’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro.[[1]](https://www.businessnewsasia.com/2026102852398119-hktdc-chairman-deepens-hong-kong-gcc-business-ties-with-visit-to-qatar/) The itinerary also included talks with representatives of Invest Qatar, the Qatar Investment Authority, Qatar National Bank, the Qatar Foundation, the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Qatar Development Bank. These sessions examined ways to intensify government-to-government, government-to-business and business-to-business cooperation.
Ma delivered remarks at the UN Trade and Development World Investment Forum during a panel on international investment facilitation policies aimed at creating partnerships for sustainable development. He underlined Hong Kong’s reliability as a global platform for trade and investment while calling for stronger international ties amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. The event, hosted by Qatar in partnership with UNCTAD, aligned with the HKTDC’s goal of deepening regional relationships.
The Qatar trip forms part of a sequence of HKTDC-led missions that previously covered Qatar and Kuwait in 2025, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in 2023, and Central Asia in June. A council assessment found that these outings illustrate the benefits of layered collaboration in unlocking fresh commercial prospects. The HKTDC operates 51 offices worldwide to support companies pursuing such opportunities.
At the Belt and Road Summit held in September 2026 the council presented a dedicated Middle East chapter and zone that attracted roughly 6,200 leaders from more than 70 countries, according to HKTDC figures. This level of participation signals rising demand for cross-regional initiatives that leverage Hong Kong’s positioning. The approach reinforces the city’s role under the One Country, Two Systems framework in delivering competitive advantages to businesses targeting GCC markets.
A separate meeting between Ma and Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari took place on the sidelines of the World Investment Forum and reviewed financial as well as economic subjects of mutual interest, the Peninsula Qatar reported. Discussions also touched on regional and international developments along with associated challenges. The HKTDC continues to pursue similar high-level engagements to sustain momentum generated during the Doha visit.
