On the 9th, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Qiu Yinghua, signed the First Protocol to Amend the Free Trade Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, updating the specific product origin rules of the original agreement, increasing the number of product categories covered from over 200 to nearly 600. According to the Information Office of the Special Administrative Region Government, the specific products included in the free trade agreement through this protocol include different categories of goods of interest to Hong Kong businesses and manufacturers, such as jewelry, drugs, food, and textiles. This can make it easier and more effective for Hong Kong enterprises to obtain Hong Kong origin qualifications for more specific goods while expanding into the growing ASEAN market, thereby obtaining preferential tariff treatment and helping to enhance the market competitiveness of relevant goods Promote trade flow and create more business opportunities for Hong Kong enterprises to develop in the ASEAN market. ASEAN is Hong Kong's second largest trading partner in goods. Since the signing of the Free Trade Agreement in 2017, the total value of goods trade has increased by over 38%, reaching approximately HKD 1294 billion in 2022. Qiu Yinghua stated that the continuous growth of trade between Hong Kong and ASEAN has been driven by the Free Trade Agreement, reflecting the importance of the agreement in consolidating Hong Kong's position as an international trade center. He firmly believes that the implementation of this agreement will further promote the economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and ASEAN member countries. As a staunch supporter of free trade, Hong Kong will work together with its trading partners to continue striving for further trade liberalization in the region. (Lai Xin She)