Belt and Road Conference 2018 – “Tapping Belt and Road Opportunities in the Greater Bay Area”

​

Organized by Silk Road Economic Development Research Center and China Daily, the Belt and Road Conference 2018, themed “Tapping Belt and Road Opportunities in the Greater Bay Area” was successfully held on October 29, 2018 at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Consul Generals of Consulate-General in Hong Kong and Macau, entrepreneurs and over 350 guests attended.

​

The Belt and Road Conference 2018 – Tapping Belt and Road Opportunities in the Greater Bay Area was co-organized by our center and China Daily on October 29, 2018 at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Consul Generals of Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau, entrepreneurs and over 350 guests attended.

​

Mr. Joseph Chan, the chairman of Silk Road Economic Development Research Center and Mr. Zhou Li, Editorial Board Member, China Daily Group; Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of China Daily Asia Pacific gave welcoming remarks. During their welcoming remarks, Mr. Joseph Chan presented a video on the public’s view on the Belt and Road initiative and Hong Kong’s role in its Development. Mr. Joseph Chan mentioned that it has been 5 years since China has unveiled the Belt and Road initiative, but there are still numerous people in Hong Kong that are unfamiliar with the initiative. The reason for the lack of awareness may partly be due to how some of our true strengths can be easily overshadowed by our international financial advantages. He also added that with excellent services in Hong Kong, we have all the capabilities to improve and develop with the rest of the world. The Hon. Mr. Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and H.E. Rashid Alimov, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, delivered Keynote Address.

​

The conference included two panel discussions on “ Exploring Innovation and Technology Intra Regional Cooperation in the Greater Bay Area”; and “When the Belt Meets the Road in Hong  Kong”. During panel II, Mrs. Regina Ip, GBS, JP, Co-Chair of the Maritime Silk Road Society, Mr. Paul McComb, Director of General Trade & Investment of British Consulate-General Hong Kong, Mr. Abdul Qadir Memon, Consul General of Consulate-General of Pakistan, Mr. Alfred Mutiwazuka, Consul General of Consulate-General of Zimbabwe, Mr. Tengku Sirajuzzaman, Consul General of Consulate-General of Malaysia, Mrs. Myat Thuzar Than, Consul General of Consulate-General of Myanmar and Mr. Jenkin Yuen, student of Wah Yan College of Hong Kong attended as panelists. Mrs. Regina Ip, mentioned Hong Kong plays important role in connecting Southeast Asia and China from past to present. With this advantage, Hong Kong can play an important role in Belt and Road initiative. We have also invited Mr. Jenkin Yuen, a secondary school student to represent our next generation to speak as a panelist with diplomats and legislator on Hong Kong’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative.