Breakout forums

In addition to the main panels, there will be three thematic breakout forums in the afternoon.

The first, co-organized by the HKTDC and the HKMA Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office, will invite representatives of international financial institutions to discuss how to seize infrastructure investment and financing opportunities through Hong Kong.

Another forum, co-organized with the Department of Justice, the Government of the HKSAR, will invite legal experts to explore how enterprises can use Hong Kong as a platform for infrastructure dispute resolution.

The third forum will invite young business leaders from Hong Kong and ASEAN countries to share their views on Belt and Road opportunities for entrepreneurs. Speakers will include Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, CEO of TARAD.com; Dato' Seri Ivan Teh, CEO & Managing Director of Fusionex, Malaysia; and Hong Kong's Glendy Choi, Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer of Hong Kong's D&G Technology Holding Co, Ltd, and Nicholas Ho, Deputy Managing Director of hpa.

Participants can freely join the forums based on their interests and business needs. Business matching sessions to forge partnerships under the Initiative In addition, project owners or operators, investors and service providers can participate in investment and business matching sessions to explore cooperation and realise the Summit's theme, "From Vision to Action".

Summit participants will also find banks and financial institutions, infrastructure related service providers and various professional services in the event's the exhibition area, offering further support for their thriving Belt and Road businesses.

As one of the events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, this year's Belt and Road Summit is supported by a wide range of relevant sectors, embodying the key theme of the celebration events "Together Progress Opportunity".

Some 40 global business leaders are serving as honorary advisors for the event. The China International Capital Corporation Limited is its Strategic Partner while the Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited is the Diamond Sponsor.

A side trip will be organized too to showcase the major infrastructure projects in the Greater Bay Area (the bay area covers the two SARs of China, namely Hong Kong and Macao, as well as nine cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing) and shed light on the latest development plans in Zhuhai and Zhongshan. Participants will be able to network with local enterprises and explore business opportunities.

The trip will bring participants to two iconic infrastructure projects, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge.

With the length of 49.97km, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) will be the world's longest sea bridge. The HZMB consists of three parts, including the main bridge, boundary crossing facilities of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao, and link roads of the three places. It will significantly reduce the cost and time for travelers and for the flow of goods within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area city cluster. The HZMB is of special strategic value in anchoring the bay area as the investment services platform for the Belt and Road Initiative by accelerating economic integration and increasing regional competitiveness.

The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge is an integral part of the national strategy in developing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area. Connecting Zhongshan and Shenzhen, the crossing will reduce travel time between the east and west sides of the Pearl River Estuary from two hours to 20 minutes. The route will eventually connect Guangshen Yanjiang Expressway with Jihe Expressway and the planned Zhongkai Expressway. The 24km-long bridge is expected to open in 2024. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge will establish Zhongshan Cuiheng New Area as the bridgehead connecting the western Pearl River Delta region to the high-end industries in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Participants will also visit Zhongshan Cuiheng New Area Planning Hall

Inaugurated in 2013, the Cuiheng New Area is located at the Eastern coast of Zhongshan and in the heart of the Pearl River Estuary. The total planned development area spans over 230 sq km. Cuiheng New Area bridges its north to Guangzhou Nansha, south to Zhuhai Hengqin, east to Shenzhen Qianhai via the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Bridge and west to the Torch Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone. The People's Congress has established the Cuiheng New Area as the major platform for Guangdong province's industry transformation and upgrading as well as for developing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area.