Hong Kong lawmaker urges firms to expand into emerging markets amid US visa pause

Hong Kong companies should accelerate their expansion into the Middle East, the Asean bloc and Central Asia to reduce their exposure to geopolitical risks, a lawmaker has said, as the United States moved to disrupt immigrant-visa appointments worldwide.

Jonathan Lamport, the representative for the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) at Legislative Council, said the visa uncertainty reinforced the need for companies to broaden their overseas presence beyond traditional Western markets.

“The business sector cannot put all its eggs in one basket,” he told the South China Morning Post.

“While we will continue to maintain our relationships with traditional markets like the US and Europe, we must also accelerate our strategic expansion into emerging markets such as the Middle East, Asean and Central Asia.”

The commercial sector lawmaker said the local business community was closely monitoring whether the disruption would affect the processing and approval of business visas.

The worldwide pause, first reported by the Financial Times, applies to appointments for immigrant visas, which allow recipients to live permanently in the United States, rather than temporary business and tourist visas under separate non-immigrant categories.