10th Belt and Road Summit Drives Global Economic Cooperation with 33 Signed Agreements

The Belt and Road Summit, jointly organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, opened its 10th edition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year's theme, Collaborate for Change • Shape a Shared Future, convened over 90 key officials and business leaders from 16 Belt and Road countries and regions, marking a significant milestone in fostering international economic partnerships.

On the first day, 33 Memoranda of Understanding were signed, covering projects in Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE, and other nations. These agreements span multiple sectors including finance, infrastructure, and technology, demonstrating the Summit's tangible impact on global business cooperation. The event serves as a crucial platform for transforming the Belt and Road Initiative into concrete economic outcomes.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee emphasized the city's unique position as a Belt and Road hub, stating that Hong Kong converges both the China advantage and global advantage, serving as a premier gateway for cooperation. Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of HKTDC, noted that the Summit has become a cornerstone event supporting the Belt and Road Initiative, fostering vital partnerships and impactful projects over the past decade.

The Policy Dialogue session, themed Embracing Emerging Opportunities in Times of Economic Uncertainty, featured government officials from Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan. They discussed latest Belt and Road policies and opportunities for multilateral cooperation, addressing how businesses can seize opportunities amid global economic challenges. The session was hosted by Algernon Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR.

A new Signature Belt and Road Projects Session was introduced to present major infrastructure developments, encouraging Hong Kong's professional services to participate in regional cooperation and economic growth. The Project Investment Session featured a new Middle East & ASEAN Market Focus segment, exploring potential opportunities in these key markets. The Summit's detailed programme can be found at https://www.beltandroadsummit.com/conference/bnr/en/programme.

The event features an extensive exhibition area across five zones: ASEAN Zone, Hong Kong Zone, Global Investment Zone, InnoTech Zone, and Mainland Zone. These zones showcase projects from ten ASEAN member states, local service providers, large-scale investment opportunities, cutting-edge innovations, and mainland China's latest developments. The Summit website at https://www.beltandroadsummit.com/conference/bnr/en provides comprehensive information about the event.

Renat Bekturov, Governor of Astana International Financial Center, highlighted during the Keynote Luncheon how tangible cooperation between Kazakhstan and Hong Kong has come to fruition, particularly through initiatives like the Turkic Green Finance Council. He emphasized that by joining forces with Hong Kong, trillions of dollars of green capital can be channeled into profitable and sustainable Belt and Road projects.

The Summit continues to offer investment and business matching services, showcasing more than 300 investment projects and facilitating over 800 one-to-one project matching meetings. This deal-making capability reinforces Hong Kong's role as a vital hub for the Belt and Road Initiative, connecting Asia and the world through trade, business, and cultural exchanges.