From Africa to Asia: InvestHK rides Global South momentum and completes strategic visit to South Africa and Rwanda (with photos)

Hong Kong essence – Media Outreach Newswire – 21 May 2026 – Ms Loretta Lee, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) today (18 May) concluded a successful mission to South Africa and Rwanda, strengthening Hong Kong's position as a strategic launchpad for African and Global South enterprises seeking offshore business development in the Chinese Mainland and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

During her visit to Johannesburg (10 to 13 May) (Johannesburg time), Ms Lee connected with a variety of leading enterprises and industry bodies. The discussion focused on how Hong Kong's strong business environment can empower African enterprises to effectively manage and grow their expanding Asian operations.

Ms Lee also met with local chambers of commerce and government investment agencies to explore new avenues of cooperation. He highlighted that Africa is one of InvestHK's key markets, as many African enterprises now seek to diversify their funding sources and simplify cross-border transactions through Hong Kong's deep capital markets and unique connectivity with the Chinese Mainland.

Ms Lee said, “Africa has emerged as a vital engine of growth within the Global South. Our journey of thousands of miles to Africa begins with a meaningful step forward. For African corporates looking for a reliable and strategic partner to expand into the Chinese Mainland and the Asia-Pacific region, interest, relationships and momentum are growing. Hong Kong has huge potential to play a unique role in connecting capital, talent and innovation between Africa and our part of the world, While InvestHK will continue to be the driver of this interconnectivity, facilitating two-way investment through strategic market insight, broad global reach, targeted promotion and policy facilitation.

Ms Liu Yu, Minister Counselor in Charge of Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Chinese Embassy in South Africa, said, “The synergy between South Africa and Hong Kong in the economic and trade sectors is complementary and strategically important. Under the framework of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong's status as a global offshore Renminbi hub and an international asset management center provides a professional one-stop platform for enterprises to go global. “Encourage Chinese Mainland enterprises to take advantage of Hong Kong's unique professional advantages to optimize their supply chain layout and achieve high-quality, mutually beneficial development.”

President of the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI), Mr Mtho Zulu, said, “We want to see relationships beyond our borders, where we bring companies from South Africa to Hong Kong, using the city as a platform to break into larger markets. Whether it's for innovation, manufacturing or industrialisation, we want to see how we can further collaborate and bring both places closer together. This ecosystem is what “What our members need to unlock high-value opportunities in the Chinese Mainland and across Asia.”

The visit concluded in Kigali, Rwanda, where Ms Lee represented InvestHK at the Africa CEO Forum and participated in high-level discussions with C-suite executives from the continent's leading multinationals on 14 and 15 May (Kigali time).

Continuing the momentum of two-way economic relations, InvestHK will host an Africa Day Reception in Hong Kong on 26 May, gathering local African business communities to explore new avenues for cross-border cooperation.
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