Global financial leaders met in Hong Kong to explore growth engines
Travel Biz News —
HONG KONG SAR- Around 3,600 policymakers, business leaders, investors and scholars from around the world attended the 18th Asian Financial Forum (January 13-14) in Hong Kong, the region’s first major finance event in 2025.
Themed “Powering the Next Growth Engine”, AFF features high-level discussions, deal-making and networking as well as insights from some 130 elite speakers on the latest developments in global financial markets and investment opportunities. With a focus on Middle East markets, this year’s programme includes a new Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Chapter , according to a statement issued by Information Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government.
In his opening remarks, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR)’s Chief Executive, John Lee, highlighted the city’s status as an international financial centre. “Thanks to ‘one country, two systems’, we enjoy the strong support of our country China, while developing ever-expanding global ties, making Hong Kong the world’s foremost ‘super connector’ and ‘super value-adder’.
The Governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), Pan Gongsheng, said that, with strong support of the Central Government and the leadership of the HKSAR Government, Hong Kong has been actively enhancing its traditional advantages and grasping the new development opportunities, which has continuously stimulated great creativity and vitality, consolidating and bolstering its status as an international financial centre.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan underlined the city’s competitive edge, including a full range of funding options catering to the divergent needs of governments and enterprises at different development stages to fund their projects and scale up; and the innovative financial strategies to enhance product offerings such as securitisation of infrastructure loans and catastrophe bonds.
Former Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank, Professor Justin Yifu Lin delivered the main Keynote Luncheon speech, sharing insights on the shifting global economic landscape, its impact on the international markets, and China’s current trajectory and its evolving role in the world.
The debut GCC Chapter (January 14) was hailed as a significant milestone in financial services collaboration between Hong Kong and the GCC countries. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui, identified green finance, securities market, Islamic finance and asset and wealth management as areas with enormous potential for bilateral co-operation. Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, emphasised the GCC’s aspiration to enhance dialogue and co-operation to achieve mutual prosperity.- ( With cooperation of Media OutReach Newswire )
14 January 2025
Image : Hong Kong SAR’s Chief Executive John Lee and representatives from around the globe attend the Asian Financial Forum.
