KUWAIT CITY, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait looks forward to deepening cooperation with China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) across various sectors to elevate bilateral economic and trade relations to a new level, a Kuwaiti minister said here on Wednesday.

Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalifa Abdullah Dhahi Al-Ajeel Al-Askar made the remarks at the business luncheon with HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee.

The minister said that the visit of the HKSAR's delegation has opened the door for further cooperation between the two sides. It is hoped that this visit will elevate the economic and trade relations between them to a higher level.

"We appreciate Hong Kong's status as a global financial and commercial hub, and we value its unique advantages," he said. "Kuwait looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Hong Kong in the areas of commerce, industrial technology, and the digital economy, demonstrating both sides' commitment to broadening the scope of collaboration."

The minister also expressed Kuwait's intention to deepen cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As one of the first Middle East countries to sign BRI cooperation agreement with China, Kuwait places great importance on this initiative, as it serves as a platform to enhance trade and economic connectivity among Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

"This initiative has revived the historic Silk Road and created vast opportunities for expanding supply chains, encouraging investment, improving logistics services, and developing industrial and free zones," he said.

For his part, Lee highlighted Hong Kong's role as an international financial center and the world's largest offshore renminbi business hub at the event.

He emphasized that enterprises from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland complement each other's strengths, with Hong Kong acting as both a "super-connector" and a "super value-adder" in global interactions.

He expressed his confidence that Hong Kong-Kuwait relations and cooperation will continue to flourish.