Hong Kong's leader is visiting Astana, with hopes high for establishing direct flights between the two regions. Potential incentives are being discussed to overcome the current lack of direct air travel, which has hindered closer ties.

A lack of direct flights has been a bugbear to Hong Kong and Kazakhstan forging closer ties but with the city’s leader now in Astana and hints of incentives on the table, hopes are rising for a breakthrough. It is understood that a Hong Kong-based airline is now exploring launching such flights up to three times a week, but the details are being ironed out. Asel Suankulova, managing director of Kazakh Invest’s Investment Promotion and Marketing Department, told the South China Morning Post that....