CEDB holds &quot;Belt and Road:Hong Kong - IN&quot; Forum
12.12.2018

The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) held the "Belt and Road: Hong Kong - IN" Forum today (December 12) to explore how professionals and start-ups might use Hong Kong as a springboard for the Belt and Road markets. More than 650 professionals from various service sectors including accounting, insurance and risk management, finance, infrastructure and related construction, legal and dispute resolution, project management, as well as business and industrial representatives and young innovation and technology entrepreneurs, participated in the Forum. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, and the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Huang Liuquan, delivered opening remarks at the Forum. Mrs Lam said that the Belt and Road Initiative involves manifold infrastructure projects such as airports, railways, ports and energy, as well as the development of Economic and Trade Co-operation Zones and new cities. Professionals and entrepreneurs from different sectors can capitalise on Hong Kong's edge in professional services and their own expertise by participating in these projects, fully demonstrating Hong Kong's "can do" spirit. At the sharing session of the Forum, the Executive Chairman of the Alibaba Group, Mr Jack Ma, offered his insights from the perspective of private enterprises on leveraging Hong Kong’s advantages in professional services and expertise to serve as the launch-pad into the Belt and Road markets. In particular, he shared with the audience Belt and Road opportunities that are available for young professionals and those areas where they might make a contribution. The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, was the moderator of the sharing session. Following the Forum, Mrs Lam, Mr Huang, Mr Yau and Mr Ma, together with the President of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Professor Timothy Tong, and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association, Mr Gao Yingxin, officiated at the inauguration of the Belt and Road Cross-Professional Advancement Programme. The Belt and Road Cross-Professional Advancement Programme, which is undertaken by PolyU with funding support from the Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme managed by the CEDB, seeks to better equip Hong Kong professionals in meeting the challenges and grasping the opportunities brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative. Through collaboration with the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association and other Hong Kong professional associations, workshops and cross-professional networking and sharing sessions will be organised under the Programme, which will initially last for 12 months. Hong Kong professionals will be connected with business leaders and academics from Belt and Road-related countries and regions. Programme participants will be able to network, share knowledge and collaborate in aspects of the Belt and Road, while at the same time utilising the strengths of Hong Kong professional services, thereby facilitating the partnership between professionals and businesses in grasping Belt and Road opportunities together. Ends/Wednesday, December 12, 2018 Issued at HKT 20:05 NNNN