The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) successfully concluded its participation in the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, marking its fourth consecutive year at the event. The HKTDC, together with Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), and Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITP), mounted the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, showcasing innovative solutions from 18 leading Hong Kong AI enterprises and institutions to global investors and industry players. The pavilion covered areas including intelligent robotics, smart city technologies, cybersecurity, and enterprise intelligence, demonstrating Hong Kong's strengths as an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre and its unique advantage as a bridge connecting China with global innovation resources.
Silas Chu, HKTDC Associate Executive Director (Technology and Digital Innovation), emphasized the council's commitment to fostering Hong Kong's I&T and start-up ecosystem. "Through various platforms, we actively help start-ups enhance their market visibility, expand into the Chinese Mainland and overseas markets, and further promote Hong Kong's I&T strengths," he said. The HKTDC facilitated participation of local I&T enterprises in major international technology exhibitions, enabling deeper exchange and collaboration with global corporations, investors, research institutions, and business partners.
On the first day of the conference, the HKTDC organized the Seminar on Fostering Economic Innovation and Global Collaboration through AI, bringing together government representatives, research institutions, the financial sector, and I&T enterprises. The seminar discussed AI industrialization, real-world applications, governance, standards alignment, financial empowerment, and global expansion of Greater Bay Area AI enterprises. Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, delivered opening remarks, stating: "The Hong Kong SAR Government is pressing ahead with transforming Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre, while building a robust, trustworthy, internationalized and sustainable AI ecosystem and proactively integrating into the national AI Plus initiative."
Jacky Chung, HKTDC Associate Executive Director (Global Network and Supply Chain) and Director of Chinese Mainland, highlighted President Xi Jinping's emphasis on jointly building a fair and equitable global AI governance framework. "As AI shifts from R&D breakthroughs towards large-scale industrial application, Hong Kong will leverage its unique strengths to contribute to the national 15th Five-Year Plan," he said. The HKTDC will continue to support Mainland AI enterprises in expanding into international markets and accelerate AI adoption across diverse application scenarios.
The HKTDC also organized business matching and networking activities, including a visit to a Shanghai-based business incubator and a roundtable with enterprises from Shanghai's Xuhui District. These activities facilitated connections between participating Hong Kong enterprises and Chinese Mainland I&T companies, investors, and industry representatives. Additionally, the My Favourite Start-up Award was presented to HSITP start-up AI SEMI Limited, recognized for its AI-empowered semiconductor manufacturing innovation centered on AI optical proximity correction (AI-OPC).
The HKTDC has been actively bringing Hong Kong enterprises to major international tech shows, including CES 2026, Mobile World Congress and 4 Years From Now, and Viva Technology. The participation at WAIC 2026 provided start-ups a platform to showcase their technology solutions and connect with international investors. The conference, held from 17 to 20 July under the theme "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future," brought together over 1,100 companies and featured more than 3,000 innovative products.
The 18 participating enterprises covered categories such as workplace and enterprise solutions, smart city and infrastructure, robotics and automation, and finance, legal and cybersecurity. Notable participants included VoiceAI Technologies Hong Kong Limited, JiHu GitLab Technology Limited, and Eaglecloud Technology Company Limited. The event underscored Hong Kong's role as a vital hub for AI innovation and international collaboration, with implications for the global AI industry by fostering cross-border partnerships and accelerating technology commercialization.
