The Hang Seng Index climbed 1.01 percent, or 260.58 points, to 25,994.80 at the open.

And the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 0.41 percent, or 11.70 points, to 2,835.52, while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, gained 1.10 percent, or 16.84 points, to 1,542.32.