Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, at the 12th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Transportation Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing today (September 22):
     
Chair, honourable fellow ministers and distinguished delegates,

     Good afternoon. On behalf of Hong Kong, China, it is a true pleasure to join you here in Beijing for the 12th APEC Transportation Ministers' Meeting.

     First of all, I wish to express our appreciation to the host for the warm hospitality extended to our delegation. China's leadership in steering this year’s APEC priorities under the theme "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together" underscores our shared commitment to a more connected, resilient and sustainable region. As an international aviation, maritime and logistics hub, Hong Kong, China has always been a staunch supporter of regional co-operation. We look forward to actively contributing to APEC under the newly restructured Transportation Working Group.

     Hong Kong, China fully supports and endorses the Joint Ministerial Statement to be adopted today. We strongly resonate with its forward-looking theme - "Collaboration and Innovation: Shaping a Better Future for Transportation in the Asia-Pacific Region". We champion our collective commitment to accelerating the digital and intelligent transformation of our transport infrastructure through artificial intelligence (AI), smart mobility solutions and autonomous technologies. We stand ready to work closely with all member economies to translate the practical priorities of this statement into tangible outcomes.

     Today, I would like to take this opportunity to share Hong Kong, China’s strategic visions for transport digitalisation. This vision forms a cornerstone of our first five-year development plan for the aviation, maritime and logistics sectors, driving both the commercialisation and internationalisation of smart transport technologies. It also serves as a key catalyst for the high-quality growth initiatives outlined in our 2026 Policy Address.

     On road transport, just this February, we rolled out the Transport Strategy Blueprint to drive sustainable urban mobility. A core pillar of this blueprint is fostering a "Well-connected City" by leveraging advanced technology, promoting digitalised traffic management, advancing autonomous driving and opening transport data to the public. Central to this effort is our new Traffic Management Platform. Powered by big data and AI, this platform predicts traffic changes, detects bottlenecks before they happen, formulates instant emergency plans and disseminates real-time information directly to commuters and transport operators alike.  

     We are also putting a lot of energy into autonomous vehicles (AVs), a critical piece of the smart mobility puzzle. We are facilitating this transition holistically through policy support, regulatory adaptation and financial backing. This July, we achieved a landmark milestone when one of our projects commenced fully driverless robotaxi trials on mixed-traffic public roads, marking a historic first for a right-hand-drive market.

     Moving forward, we will begin accepting applications from AV operators for commercial operations later this year. Looking slightly further ahead, we will expand our autonomous driving footprint along the Hong Kong Section of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in 2027, marking a pioneering, cross-boundary application scenario taking place on an expressway.

     Beyond autonomous driving, we are formulating a roadmap for the automation of our port to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international maritime centre. We have also launched a Port Community System this January to digitally integrate trade and capital flows across sea, land and air networks. This platform serves as a powerful bridge, enabling Hong Kong to foster closer port-to-port collaboration with other global gateways. By expanding our digital network, we aim to grow our ecosystem and accelerate the development of our high-value-added aviation, maritime and logistics sectors, leveraging blockchain technology to record trusted cargo data that underpins trade financing.

     No single economy can navigate the fast-paced digital transition alone. Hong Kong, China stands ready to work hand-in-hand with all APEC member economies. Together, let us unlock the full potential of AI to build an Asia-Pacific transport network that is smarter, safer, more sustainable and highly resilient.

     Thank you very much. 

Ends/Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Issued at HKT 17:52

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