The Ninth Belt and Road Summit
The 9th Belt and Road Summit was held on 11-12 September 2024. The event attracted around 6 000 participants from over 70 Belt and Road countries and regions, including government officials from about 10 countries, prominent international business leaders, as well as over 100 delegations and 38 central state-owned enterprises from the Mainland. The theme of the Summit was “Building a connected, innovative and green Belt and Road”. A total of 25 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed. Over 800 one-on-one business matching meetings for more than 290 projects were arranged. The Summit also featured an exhibition area with more than 110 exhibitors.
Summit Highlights
(1) Opening Session
Mr John KC Lee, GBM, SBS, PDSM, PMSM, Chief Executive of the HKSAR delivered the opening remarks.
Deputy China International Trade Representative, Ministry of Commerce (MofCom) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Ms Li Yongjie; Vice Chairman, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) of PRC, Mr Gou Ping; Deputy Secretary General, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of PRC, Mr Xiao Weiming gave special addresses. H.E. Mr Nguyen Hoa Binh, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam delivered the keynote address.
(2) MOU Exchange Ceremony
The HKSAR Government exchanged MOUs respectively with Maldives and Indonesia on enhancing anti-corruption co-operation, with Cambodia on promoting bilateral trade and economic co-operation, and with Solomon Islands on collaboration in aeronautical meteorological science. The Summit also led to 21 MOUs on commercial collaboration, bringing the total MOU number to a record high of 25.
(3) Policy Dialogue
Mr Algernon Yau, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, chaired the Policy Dialogue titled “Multilateral Cooperation for an Interconnected World”. He was joined by the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce of Cambodia, H.E. Mr Lim Lork Piseth; Deputy Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs and Investment in Infrastructure and Transportation of Indonesia, Mr Rachmat Kaimuddin; and Vice Minister of National Economy of Kazakhstan, Mr Arman Kassenov, to exchange and explore on creating more opportunities under B&RI.
(4) Keynote Luncheon
Mr Paul Chan, GBM, GBS, MH, JP, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR gave the welcome remarks, followed by the opening remarks of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Management Committee of China International Capital Corporation Limited, Mr Chen Liang and the keynote address by the President of New Development Bank, Mrs Dilma Rousseff at the luncheon.
(5) Business Plenaries
Professor KC Chan, GBS, JP, Chairman of WeLab Bank (Hong Kong), and Mr Ronnie C Chan, GBM, Honorary Chair of Hang Lung Properties Limited, respectively chaired the two plenaries and discussed with world-renowned business leaders about capturing business opportunities in ASEAN, Middle East, Eastern Europe and other Belt and Road new markets.
(6) Special Address
Special addresses were made by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, H.E. Mr Maxim Ryzhenkov; Assistant Undersecretary of Industrial Development of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Bahrain, Dr Khaled Fahad Alalawi; and Ambassador of Pakistan to China, H.E. Mr Khalil Hashmi.
(7) Finance Chapter
1. Role of Captive Insurance in Supporting B&RI
This session was co-organised with the Insurance Authority. Led by Mr MM Lee, Executive Director, General Business of the Insurance Authority, the panel explored how the insurance professional services ecosystem in Hong Kong could contribute to the B&RI by offering essential support and facilitation.
2. Harnessing Financial Services Opportunities in the Belt and Road: Hong Kong as a Gateway to Global Expansion in ASEAN and the Middle East Markets
This session was co-organised with Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited and Financial Services Development Council (FSDC). The Hon Senator Tengku Zafrul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia delivered opening remarks. Led by Dr King Au, Executive Director of FSDC, the panel explored the unique advantages that Hong Kong offers as a platform for businesses venturing into the ASEAN and Middle Eastern markets.
3. Financial Innovation and Technology for Belt and Road
This session was supported by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport). Mr Simon Chan, BBS, JP, Chairman of Cyberport delivered welcome remarks at the session. Led by Mr Stanley Wong, Chief Information Security Officer of Cyberport and Mr Victor Yim, Head of FinTech of Cyberport, the panel discussed about how green finance and sustainable finance could support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the criticalness of information security to ensure the long-term sustainability and security of B&RI.
(8) Green Chapter
1. Charting Green Development for a Connected World
This session was co-organised with China International Contractors Association (CHINCA). Mr Nicholas Ho, Commissioner for Belt and Road of HKSAR Government delivered opening remarks at the session. Dr Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC, and Mr Fang Qiuchen, Chairman of CHINCA delivered welcome remarks. Led by Mr KK Chiu, International Director, Chief Executive of Greater China, Cushman & Wakefield, the panel discussed the latest green and sustainable development in the Belt and Road countries.
2. Smart and Green Silk Road
This session was co-organised with The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC). Chaired by Ms Alice Suen, Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance and Investments, Hong Kong of HSBC, the panel discussed the development of smart and green Silk Road.
3. Developing Viable Sustainable Infrastructure Projects
This session was co-organised with HKMA Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office (IFFO). The panel led by Ms Georgina Lok, General Manager of HKMA IFFO, discussed the development of viable sustainable infrastructure projects for Belt and Road.
(9) Youth Chapter
Led by Mr Kevin Orr, Chairman of The Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Fund Task Force (Hong Kong), young business leaders shared in this panel on “Empowering the Next Generation of Business Leaders” their experience in harnessing Belt and Road opportunities to start business and coping with challenges. Over 200 young people participated in the session, including Belt and Road Scholarship recipients, Youth Development Commission Youth Ambassadors, Youth Link members, as well as Strive and Rise Programme students and mentors.
(10) Thematic Breakout Sessions
1. Building a Green, Sustainable and Innovative Silk Road through Hong Kong’s Legal and Dispute Resolution Services
This session was co-organised with Department of Justice of the HKSAR Government. Mr Paul TK Lam, SBS, SC, JP, Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR gave welcome remarks at this session. Eminent speakers from the legal profession shared their insights on Hong Kong’s strengths in deal-making and dispute resolution services, its innovations in arbitration and how they could facilitate the building of a green, sustainable and innovative silk road.
2. Mainland-Hong Kong Trade In Services Symposium
This session was co-organised with MofCom. Ms Hong Li, Deputy Director-General of Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services of MofCom, Dr Bernard Chan, JP, Undersecretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR, Dr Patrick Lau, Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC, and Mr Hao Mingtu, Director of Belt and Road Environmental Technology Exchange and Transfer Center (Shenzhen) gave welcome remarks. Led by Ms Irina Fan, Director of Research of HKTDC, the panel discussed how to support an open world economy through enhancing services trade connectivity and deepening of regional economic collaboration.
3. Multi-dimensional Connectivity under B&RI
This session was chaired by Ir Dr Kelvin Leung, President, The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport in Hong Kong. Leaders from the shipping, port, airport, logistics and trading sectors outlined progress of connectivity between Belt and Road transportation networks, while also identifying the direction for further development in future.
4. People-to-people Exchanges through Business and Cultural Collaboration
This session was co-organised with Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited. Chaired by Ms Karen Ng, Managing Director and Head of China Opening and RMB Internationalisation of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, the panel discussed the importance of cross-border exchange of business and cultural knowledge along the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Silk Road.
(11) Project Investment Sessions
More than 290 projects were presented at the project investment sessions, covering five main areas: (1) innovation & technology; (2) transport & logistics infrastructure; (3) energy, natural resources and public utilities; (4) urban development; and (5) Middle East and North Africa Focus.