Hong Kong has established new “partner port” relationships with key maritime centres in mainland China and South America, the city’s leader has said, with shipping experts calling it a strategic move to enlarge market catchment areas and strengthen supply chains amid global trade volatility.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Monday that partnerships had been formed with Guangxi and Dalian ports on the mainland and Port San Antonio in Chile.

“These ports are of strategic importance, and true to our character and policy priorities,” Lee said at the 15th Asian Logistics, Maritime and Aviation Conference at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

“As an international maritime centre, we connect the Chinese mainland with the world and seek partners who support an open, international trade order.”

The new partnerships were a “timely response” to rising geopolitical tensions and volatility in global trade policies.

These issues presented “considerable challenges for our maritime, aviation and logistics industries, from route planning and shipping fleet deployment to inventory and warehouse management”, he said.