The 11th Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opened today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Under the theme "Advancing High-Quality Development • Embarking on a New Journey," the Summit brings together more than 100 government officials, business leaders, and professionals from Belt and Road countries and regions to explore new opportunities, promote cross-regional trade and industrial matching, and accelerate concrete outcomes.
The Summit's significance lies in its role as a catalyst for international cooperation and business partnerships. On the first day, multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements were signed across finance, professional services, industry, and construction, involving organisations from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan. More agreements are expected, transforming connections into tangible collaborations.
In his opening remarks, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, emphasised Hong Kong's unique position: "Hong Kong is an ideal two-way springboard for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas, and for international companies looking to enter the Mainland market." He noted that the GoGlobal Task Force has assisted over 300 Mainland enterprises, and since 2022, high-level delegations have explored opportunities in 13 Belt and Road countries, delivering over 250 MOUs. This underscores Hong Kong's commitment to opening new markets and advancing regional cooperation.
Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, highlighted the importance of diversification: "In a world full of risks and uncertainties, diversification is a necessity, not a choice." He pointed to ASEAN, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America as regions with great growth potential. The Summit introduced new thematic zones, including the "GoGlobal Connect" zone, to support enterprises expanding internationally.
Special addresses were delivered by Abdulla Aripov, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan; Carolina Cosse, Vice President of Uruguay; and Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister of Laos. Aripov invited participants to use Uzbekistan as a gateway to Central Asia, while Cosse highlighted Uruguay's support for the BRI. Kommasith cited the Lao-China Railway as a transformative project, facilitating over 70 million passengers and 90 million metric tons of freight, expanding Laos's trade from 13 commodity categories to over 4,000 products.
Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce of China, and Li Zhen, Vice Chairman of SASAC, pledged support for Hong Kong's deeper involvement in Belt and Road cooperation. Li Zhen noted Hong Kong's role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" under "One Country, Two Systems."
The Summit also featured a Policy Dialogue on building resilient trade and investment frameworks, with ministers from Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Qatar, and Thailand. Business plenary sessions explored opportunities in ASEAN and Central Asia. A luncheon keynote by Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, stressed Hong Kong's ability to link ASEAN's sustainable investment pipeline with global capital.
New GoGlobal, Central Asia, and Middle East Chapters spotlight emerging market opportunities. The GoGlobal Chapter provides a one-stop platform for networking and business matching. The Central Asia and Middle East Chapters focus on investment potential, with sessions on Alatau City and the Data Center Valley. Over 300 investment projects and 800 one-to-one business matching meetings are expected, fostering cross-regional partnerships.
The Summit is supported by partners including China International Capital Corporation Limited as Strategic Partner and Bank of China (Hong Kong) as Banking Partner. For more information, visit the Belt and Road Summit website.
