Government officials and business leaders from 48 countries and regions to discuss infrastructure investment, ASEAN opportunities, HK advantages

The second Belt and Road Summit, jointly organized by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opens on Monday, Sept 11, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The inaugural summit in May last year was attended by Zhang Dejiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, who delivered a keynote speech.

Zhang Dejiang (center), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, turns on flashlights with other guests to kick off the Belt and Road Summit at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in May last year. Roy Liu / China Daily

The summit was attended by some 2,400 government officials and business leaders from 48 countries and regions. Building on the momentum of the last Summit, this year's event will adopt the theme "From Vision to Action".

It will once again invite government officials, entrepreneurs and industry experts from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and countries along the Belt and Road to share their viewpoints and timely insight about the Belt and Road Initiative as well as related investment and business opportunities.

Belt and Road topics under focus: infrastructure investment and ASEAN opportunities The HKTDC will bring its extensive research on the Initiative and insight from various honorary advisors to the Summit to provide participants with in-depth, accurate analyses on a variety of topics. These will range from the policies of different countries and regional developments to opportunities for individual industries.

The first panel is titled "Investing in Belt and Road: Dialogue with Policymakers". It will be chaired by Laura Cha, Chairman of Hong Kong's Financial Services Development Council, who will speak with Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government, Andrzej Adamczyk, Poland's Minister of Infrastructure and Construction, and related ministers from Belt and Road countries and regions about policies related to the Initiative.

Another panel will be hosted by Bernard Chan, President of the Asia Financial Holdings Limited and convenor of Hong Kong's Executive Council. He will join leaders from the infrastructure sector in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and ASEAN to examine "Partnerships with ASEAN: Growth through Infrastructure".

The speakers will share their experience of investing in infrastructure projects in ASEAN countries and why demand for such projects is booming. They will also discuss how Hong Kong businesses can leverage their existing advantages to capture new opportunities.