HONG KONG, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee on Monday met here with visiting Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, with both sides looking forward to stronger cooperation.

Lee welcomed Srettha's visit to Hong Kong and congratulated him on his election as the 30th prime minister of Thailand.

Lee said Hong Kong and Thailand have close economic and trade relations, noting that Thailand is the fourth largest trading partner of Hong Kong among member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while Hong Kong is the fourth largest investor of Thailand.

He expressed his hope that Hong Kong and Thailand can maintain a close relationship and strengthen economic and trade cooperation.

Lee also expressed his gratitude to Thailand for supporting Hong Kong's early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). He said Hong Kong can serve as an important hub connecting the mainland with other economies and make contributions to promoting regional economic development to achieve mutual benefits.

Noting that Hong Kong plays an important role in connecting China with the rest of the world, Srettha said he was informed of Hong Kong's policy to promote being a center in various fields such as finance, aviation, innovation and technology in the region.

Thailand can be a gateway to the ASEAN region for China, including Hong Kong, the prime minister said in a social media post after meeting with Lee.

Srettha arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday for a three-day formal visit.