​The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart in tomorrow (June 23) afternoon for visits to Tianjin and Beijing.

     During his visit to Tianjin from June 23 to 25, Mr Chan will lead a delegation from the innovation and technology (I&T) sector to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2025. The delegation includes senior executives from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Cyberport and the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, as well as leaders of startups under their umbrella specialising in fields such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine technologies, green and new energy technologies and aerospace technologies. While attending the Annual Meeting, Mr Chan will participate in several thematic sessions, where he will deliver speeches and engage in discussions. The delegation will also take part in a number of I&T exchange sessions and business matching activities.

     The Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as Summer Davos, gathers leaders from governments, businesses, think tanks and the academia, as well representatives from international organisations. The theme of this year's Annual Meeting is "Entrepreneurship for a New Era". Around 1 700 participants from over 90 countries and regions will join the meeting. Discussions will focus on how entrepreneurship and innovation can drive economic growth in rapidly changing geopolitical and economic landscapes. 

     While in Tianjin, Mr Chan will also meet with officials from relevant Central Authorities, leaders of Tianjin, as well as political and business leaders from other regions. He will brief them on Hong Kong's latest developments, as well as its new advantages and opportunities.

     During his visit to Beijing from June 25 to 26, Mr Chan will attend the 10th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and meet with other Governors. Mr Chan will also meet with officials from relevant Central Authorities.

     The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, will also depart for Beijing today. He will attend some activities of the AIIB's Board of Governors Annual Meeting.

     Mr Chan will return to Hong Kong in the evening of June 26. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will be Acting Financial Secretary. During Mr Hui's absence, the Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Joseph Chan, will be Acting Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury.

Ends/Sunday, June 22, 2025
Issued at HKT 12:00

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