10th Belt and Road Summit explores new opportunities and drives collaboration for a shared future (with photos)
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Hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government since 2016, the Summit is a flagship event for Hong Kong’s participation in and contribution to the B&RI, and has become the premier B&R business and investment platform for local, Mainland and overseas enterprises. Under the theme "Collaborate for change • Shape a shared future", the 10th Summit featured new elements such as market spotlights, signature projects and collaborative capacity for sustainable development, exploring further collaboration opportunities for enterprises, the local professional services sectors and people-to-people exchanges.
Speaking at the opening session, the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, said the Belt and Road Summit has united governments, businesses, peoples and cultures in collaboration for change. He said that over the past 10 years, more than 45 000 people from some 120 countries and regions have participated in the summit, with over 2 800 projects presented, shaping a shared vision through collaboration and connectivity, which are the fundamental values of the B&RI.
Mr Lee said, "The HKSAR Government is rapidly expanding Hong Kong's global trade networks. I have visited 12 Belt and Road countries in the past three years, leading high-level business delegations from Hong Kong to most of them and witnessing some 160 MOUs, and co-operation agreements and deliverables with the respective economies. We have signed free trade agreements with 14 Belt and Road countries, and investment agreements with about 20 Belt and Road economies, as well as Comprehensive Avoidence of Double Taxation Agreements with 37 Belt and Road jurisdictions. Our external trade with Belt and Road countries exceeded US$276 billion last year, up about 80 per cent since 2013 and three times the average growth rate of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade over the same period. "
Mr Lee also introduced Hong Kong's advantages and developments in such areas as trade and investment, competitiveness, talent, connectivity, green and sustainable development and the legal system, highlighting that Hong Kong is an ideal B&R hub. He remarked that as the only world city that converges both the China advantage and the global advantage, Hong Kong stands as the premier gateway for co-operation, bridging people, trade, business, education, culture and values across the region, connecting Asia and the world. He said that Hong Kong's "dual superpower" as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" injects vigour, innovation, sustainability and strategic value to capital and projects, and will continue to drive high-quality development along the B&R.
Also addressing the opening session were Vice Minister of Commerce Mr Yan Dong; Vice Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council Mr Li Zhen; and Deputy Secretary General of the National Development and Reform Commission Mr Xiao Weiming. Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia Mr Sun Chanthol delivered a keynote speech at the opening session.
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, gave welcome remarks at the Keynote Luncheon titled "Fostering Regional Co-operation through Concrete Business Partnerships". He shared with the audience how Hong Kong is fostering more partnerships and contributing to regional connectivity through leveraging on two important global trends - green and sustainable development, and digital innovation.
On green and sustainable development, Mr Chan highlighted the Government’s vision for Hong Kong to become an international centre for green technology and green finance, playing its pivotal role in driving global green transition. In the area of green finance, the Government is actively promoting the development of transition finance, while also addressing the diverse needs of emerging economies through innovative financial instruments such as catastrophe bonds and the securitisation of infrastructure debt. At the same time, Hong Kong is accelerating its development into a green technology hub, contributing to regional decarbonisation efforts through cutting-edge innovation.
Turning to digital innovation, Mr Chan said that for Belt and Road economies and the Global South, Hong Kong and the Mainland offers a wide spectrum of digital solutions, from fintech and smart health to cloud computing, 6G, and digital city management. Hong Kong has made AI one of our key strategic priorities, and is committed to building an open, collaborative and inclusive AI community. Meanwhile, it is embracing blockchain technology at the heart of financial innovation, leveraging on its potential to make cross-border transactions more efficient.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, gave welcome remarks at the thematic breakout session titled "Synergy in Legal Solutions: Co-creating a Shared Silk Road Vision". He stated that the conclusion and execution of Belt and Road projects are bound to involve transboundary legal issues, in which international legal services are inevitable. Noting that Hong Kong international civil and commercial law and practice under its common law system are highly recognised by the international business community, Mr Lam highlighted Hong Kong’s advantages in various areas including the abundant legal professionals with rich experiences in international business law, credible and high-quality legal and dispute resolution services, and close legal collaborations with Belt and Road countries.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, chaired the policy dialogue on "Embracing emerging opportunities in times of economic uncertainty" at which he discussed with overseas government officials on forging economic co-operation with innovation, such as green economy and digitalisation, amid the uncertain geopolitical situation. Mr Yau also highlighted that the B&RI provides a readily available platform for international co-operation in facilitating trade and economic integration. Citing infrastructure development as one of the key strengths of the B&RI, he said that it helps enhance market access and reduce trade barriers, thereby generating investment, creating jobs and improving living standards.
The Summit featured nine MOUs between the HKSAR Government and related organisations and their overseas counterparts to promote bilateral co-operation and exchanges, covering the Department of Justice, the Financial Services Development Council, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong Customs, the Hong Kong Observatory, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Invest Hong Kong and the Securities and Futures Commission, and Pakistan, Indonesia, Hungary, Qatar, Cambodia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The Summit also led to some 36 other MOUs in various areas. The total value of these MOUs, together with new projects and deals finalised before the summit, is close to US$1 billion.
Under the themes of "ASEAN: Unveiling new opportunities for growth and collaboration" and "Exploring frontiers in new markets and industries", the plenary sessions gathered business leaders to discuss Hong Kong's role in facilitating trade and business co-operation under the B&RI. A number of thematic breakout sessions covering areas such as legal services, trade and commerce, insurance, architecture, green finance and logistics were also held to focus on fostering a more prosperous, green and interconnected future for B&R countries and regions.
The HKSAR Government is proactively expanding overseas markets, especially the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Middle East which present great potentials. The new B&R signature projects sessions at the Summit introduced tenders of urban development projects in Thailand and Saudi Arabia. The Belt and Road Office (BRO), together with the Hong Kong Construction Industry Council and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, launched an information sharing mechanism to assist Hong Kong enterprises and professional services in tapping the business opportunities in projects in ASEAN and the Middle East.
The Summit was attended by over 200 Belt and Road Scholarship recipients, local university students, Youth Link members and Youth Development Commission Youth Ambassadors. A Youth Chapter will be held tomorrow (September 11) for young business leaders from Hong Kong, the Mainland and B&R countries to share their experience. The chapter’s new feature to foster exchanges among the participants will enable them to learn more about the latest B&R developments and opportunities.
For enhanced synergies, the Government has encouraged various groups and organisations to host more than 20 B&R-related activities in the months around the Summit period, covering areas such as trade and business, arts and culture, music, sports and academia, for the business and professional sectors as well as the general public to take part and experience in person the achievements of global collaboration under the B&RI. The BRO also published a booklet on Hong Kong as a participant, contributor and beneficiary of the B&RI. Details of the activities and the booklet are available on the BRO’s website www.beltandroad.gov.hk.
Ends/Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Issued at HKT 20:56
Issued at HKT 20:56
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