HONG KONG — The 11th Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, opened on September 10 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Under the theme “Advancing High-Quality Development • Embarking on a New Journey,” the two-day event 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, with multiple memoranda of understanding and agreements signed on the first day across finance, professional services, industry, and construction. Organisations from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan were involved. Additional agreements are expected on the second day, transforming connections into tangible collaborations.
During the opening session, John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, said Hong Kong is 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. He added that since 2022, he has led high-level business delegations to 13 Belt and Road countries, delivering over 250 MOUs and other agreements.
Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC, emphasised that diversification is a necessity in a world of risks and uncertainties. He highlighted that ASEAN, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America are among the regions with the greatest growth potential. This year’s Summit introduces new thematic zones, including the GoGlobal Connect zone, to support enterprises 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. 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 of the State Council, also gave special remarks.
Aripov said Uzbekistan regards the Belt and Road Initiative as an effective platform for reviving the ancient Silk Road in a modern format. Cosse noted that Uruguay was the first Mercosur country to formally support the initiative and the first in South America to sign an MOU with China. Kommasith highlighted the Lao-China Railway’s impact, which has facilitated over 70 million passengers and transported over 90 million metric tons of freight, transforming Laos from a landlocked country into a land-linked regional logistics hub.
The Summit also features a Policy Dialogue on building resilient trade and investment frameworks, with ministers from Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Qatar, and Thailand. Business plenaries gather leaders from ASEAN, Central Asia, and the Chinese Mainland to discuss cross-border investment and industrial cooperation.
New GoGlobal, Central Asia, and Middle East chapters spotlight opportunities in emerging markets. The event includes project investment sessions, deal-making, and an exhibition with over 120 exhibitors. The Belt and Road Summit Deal-Making will extend online to 14 and 15 September. For more information, visit the Belt and Road Summit website.
