Hong Kong will respond to uncertainty brought by intensifying geopolitical tensions “with openness rather than isolation”, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has pledged at an annual forum in Hainan, calling on economies to join hands to promote free trade.

Speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference – regarded as a platform for high-level government dialogue – Lee said China had been committed to multilateral trade in a “turbulent world”, urging economies to unite in the face of intensifying geopolitical tensions and protectionism.

“We are not fighting alone. Regional economies are joining hands to ensure we continue to be a driver of global growth and a pillar of stability,” Lee told attendees at the Global Free Trade Port Development Forum on Tuesday.

“Hong Kong is committed to responding to uncertainty with openness rather than isolation. I believe Hainan and Hong Kong’s free ports will complement each other and jointly build a powerful engine for free trade.

“Hong Kong and Hainan, together with friends from the mainland and around the world, will benefit from a more complete free‑trade framework, thereby building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a prosperous future together.”

He congratulated the Hainan Free Trade Port on the smooth implementation of island-wide special customs operations and the swift roll-out of a number of business-friendly policies.