China Mobile International is set to strengthen its digital infrastructure and logistics cooperation in Central Asia as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu leads a business delegation of more than 60 members to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in early June.

Kevin Chan Kin-fan, head of carrier business at China Mobile, said the company will take part in the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Kazakh-Chinese joint venture QazPost-YTO during the visit to develop an integrated “communications-plus-logistics” solution, The Caspian Post reports via The Standard.

Chan said Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” gives China Mobile International a strategic base to expand in Central Asia, helping mainland telecom equipment, technical standards and service solutions “go global,” while bringing market demand and cooperation opportunities from Central Asia back to Hong Kong.

The company said landlocked Central Asian markets lack direct access to submarine cables, while Hong Kong offers strong international connectivity and data exchange capabilities.

China Mobile International plans to connect terrestrial fiber systems in Central Asia with Hong Kong’s network hub, providing shorter routes for data transmission to major global economies. Its Central Asia strategy has expanded from traditional network connectivity to a new information service system covering “connectivity, computing power and capabilities.” The company has already linked the China-Russia-Europe corridor and built terabit-level backbone bandwidth in Kazakhstan, a key route for China-Kazakhstan-Russia-Europe connectivity.

Planned Central Asia-Europe routes through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are expected to create a multi-route, high-bandwidth and secure digital bridge between Asia and Europe.

China Mobile International has also launched sector-focused solutions, including a “5G Private Network + OnePower Platform” smart mining solution, smart petrochemical solutions and smart park services to support industrial upgrading in the region.

The company said it will continue to use Hong Kong as a base to support more mainland enterprises in expanding overseas, while linking the Greater Bay Area, Central Asia and Europe through a cross-border digital economy and logistics network.