The 11th Belt and Road Summit, co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), opened on September 10, 2026, 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 opportunities in high-quality Belt and Road development, promote cross-regional trade and industrial matching, and accelerate concrete outcomes.
On the first day, multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and agreements were signed, spanning finance, professional services, industry, and construction. Organisations from the Chinese Mainland, Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, and Uzbekistan were involved. More agreements are expected on the second day, transforming connections into tangible collaborations.
The opening session featured remarks by John Lee, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, and Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC. Abdulla Aripov, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan; Carolina Cosse, Vice President of Uruguay; and Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister of Laos, delivered special addresses. 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.
John Lee highlighted Hong Kong's role as a two-way springboard: “Hong Kong is an ideal two-way springboard for Mainland enterprises expanding overseas, and for international companies looking to enter the Mainland market.” He noted that the GoGlobal Task Force, established in October, has assisted over 300 Mainland enterprises in establishing or expanding in Hong Kong. Since 2022, Lee has led business delegations to 13 Belt and Road countries, delivering over 250 MOUs and agreements.
Professor Frederick Ma emphasised diversification: “In a world full of risks and uncertainties, diversification is a necessity, not a choice.” He pointed to ASEAN, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America as regions with the greatest growth potential. The Summit introduced new thematic zones, including the “GoGlobal Connect” zone, to support enterprises expanding internationally.
Abdulla Aripov invited participants to create new manufacturing and technology value chains in Uzbekistan, using it as a gateway to Central Asia. Carolina Cosse reaffirmed Uruguay's commitment to translating Belt and Road cooperation into tangible outcomes, facilitating capital flows and trade financing into Latin America and Asia. Saleumxay Kommasith cited the Lao-China Railway as a historic achievement, having facilitated over 70 million passengers and transported over 90 million metric tons of freight, transforming Laos from a landlocked to a land-linked logistics hub.
Yan Dong pledged support for Hong Kong's professional services in Belt and Road projects, while Li Zhen emphasised Hong Kong's role as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” under “One Country, Two Systems.”
The Summit also featured a Policy Dialogue on building resilient trade and investment frameworks, with ministers from Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Qatar, and Thailand. Business plenary sessions explored ASEAN and Central Asian markets, cross-border investment, and sustainable development. A luncheon featured Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, and a keynote by Dr Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, who said Hong Kong can link ASEAN's sustainable investment pipeline with global capital.
New GoGlobal, Central Asia, and Middle East chapters spotlight emerging market opportunities. The Summit includes over 300 investment projects, more than 800 one-to-one business matching meetings, and over 120 exhibitors. The ASEAN Market Day, a new flagship event during Belt and Road Week, will help Hong Kong companies, especially SMEs, expand into ASEAN markets. For more information, visit https://www.beltandroadsummit.com/conference/bnr/en.
