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 convenes 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 yielded significant results on its first day, with multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed across sectors such as finance, professional services, industry, and construction. These agreements involve organisations from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan. Additional MoUs are expected tomorrow, transforming connections and ideas into tangible collaborations and business opportunities.
In his opening remarks, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, emphasised Hong Kong's role as an ideal two-way springboard for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas and for international companies entering the Mainland market. He noted that the GoGlobal Task Force, established last October, has assisted more than 300 Mainland enterprises in establishing or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong. "Our world-class professional services are ready to support their overseas expansion plans," Lee said. He also highlighted that since 2022, high-level business delegations to 13 Belt and Road countries have delivered over 250 MOUs and other agreements.
Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, underscored the necessity of diversification in a world of risks and uncertainties. "The Belt and Road Initiative has never been more relevant," he stated. "At its core, the Initiative is about forging new connections, turning potential into opportunity and opportunity into tangible development that benefits communities around the world." He pointed to ASEAN, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America as regions with the greatest growth potential. This year's Summit introduces new thematic zones, including the GoGlobal Connect zone, to support enterprises in 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 create new manufacturing and technology value chains in Uzbekistan, while Cosse highlighted Uruguay's readiness to translate its Belt and Road commitment into tangible cooperative outcomes. Kommasith cited the Lao-China Railway as a historic achievement, facilitating over 70 million passengers and transporting over 90 million metric tons of freight, transforming Laos from a landlocked country into a land-linked regional logistics hub.
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, also delivered special remarks. They expressed support for Hong Kong's professional services in Belt and Road projects and its role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder."
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 exchanging views. Business plenaries explored opportunities in ASEAN and Central Asia, while new GoGlobal, Central Asia, and Middle East Chapters spotlighted emerging markets. The event includes over 300 investment projects and facilitates more than 800 one-to-one business matching meetings.
For more information, visit the Belt and Road Summit website and the programme page.
