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 in Wan Chai. 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 has already achieved significant results, with multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed on the first day. These span 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 tomorrow, transforming connections into tangible collaborations and business opportunities.
In his opening remarks, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a two-way springboard: “Hong Kong is an ideal two-way springboard for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas, and for international companies looking to enter the Mainland market. Our GoGlobal Task Force, established last October, has assisted more than 300 Mainland enterprises in establishing or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong, and our world-class professional services are ready to support their overseas expansion plans.” He added that since 2022, high-level business delegations to 13 Belt and Road countries have delivered over 250 MOUs, underscoring Hong Kong’s focus on opening new markets and advancing regional co-operation.
Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, emphasised the need for diversification: “In a world full of risks and uncertainties, diversification is a necessity, not a choice. We must seize new opportunities even as we navigate new challenges. That is why the Belt and Road Initiative has never been more relevant.” He noted that ASEAN, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are among the regions with the greatest growth potential, and that Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique strength in connecting the Chinese Mainland with global markets. This year’s Summit introduces 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 stated, “Uzbekistan regards the Belt and Road Initiative as an effective platform for reviving the ancient Silk Road in a modern format and advancing cooperation in trade, transport, investment, industrial collaboration, technology, capital, and human resources.” Cosse highlighted Uruguay’s early support: “In 2018, Uruguay was the first country in Mercosur to formally express its support of the Belt and Road Initiative. We were also the first country in South America to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative with the People’s Republic of China.” Kommasith pointed to the Lao-China Railway as tangible evidence: “Today, it has facilitated over 70 million passengers and transported over 90 million metric tons of freight, contributing to expanding our trade profile from just 13 regional commodity categories to more than 4,000 types of products today.”
Yan Dong, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, and Li Zhen, Vice Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, also delivered special remarks. Yan Dong said, “We will support Hong Kong in leveraging its professional service advantages to participate deeply in Belt and Road cooperation projects.” Li Zhen added that central state-owned enterprises are guided to establish treasury and trade centres, R&D institutions and international business headquarters in Hong Kong, reinforcing its status as a “super connector” and “super value-adder.”
The Summit’s first day featured a Policy Dialogue on building resilient trade and investment frameworks, moderated by Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, with ministers from Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Qatar and Thailand. A Business Plenary chaired by Dr Victor K Fung explored opportunities in ASEAN and Central Asia. A luncheon keynote by Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, stressed Hong Kong’s role in linking ASEAN’s sustainable investment opportunities with global capital.
New GoGlobal, Central Asia and Middle East Chapters spotlight opportunities in emerging markets. The HKTDC introduced a GoGlobal Chapter, creating a one-stop platform for networking and business matching. Dedicated Central Asia and Middle East Chapters focus on investment opportunities, with sessions on Alatau City and the Data Center Valley. The exhibition area includes new Central Asia and Middle East Zones, alongside the University Zone and GreenTech Zone.
The Summit continues with Project Investment Sessions, Deal-Making and an Exhibition Zone covering more than 300 investment projects and facilitating over 800 one-to-one business matching meetings. The event is supported by partners including China International Capital Corporation Limited as Strategic Partner and Bank of China (Hong Kong) as Banking Partner.
Concurrently, the HKTDC will hold the inaugural ASEAN Market Day on 10 September, featuring business leaders sharing insights on expanding into ASEAN markets. The Belt and Road Global Forum Annual Roundtable will take place on 11 September. For more information, visit the Belt and Road Summit website or the programme page.
