10th Belt and Road Summit Drives Multilateral Cooperation with 33 Signed Agreements
The 10th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong has facilitated significant international partnerships through 33 signed memoranda of understanding and policy dialogues focused on economic cooperation amid global uncertainty.
The 10th Belt and Road Summit opened at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, marking a decade of fostering international collaboration under the theme 'Collaborate for Change • Shape a Shared Future'. The event convened over 90 key officials and business leaders from 16 Belt and Road countries and regions, demonstrating the continued relevance of multilateral economic partnerships.
On the first day, 33 memoranda of understanding were signed, covering projects in Australia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, the UAE and other nations. These agreements span multiple sectors including finance, infrastructure and technology, highlighting the diverse opportunities for business cooperation along the Belt and Road Initiative. The summit's detailed programme can be found at the official programme page.
The policy dialogue session, themed 'Embracing Emerging Opportunities in Times of Economic Uncertainty', featured government officials from Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. They discussed the latest Belt and Road policies and opportunities for enhanced multilateral cooperation, addressing how businesses can navigate current economic challenges. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee emphasized the city's role as an ideal Belt and Road hub, stating that Hong Kong serves as a 'super connector' and 'super value-adder' for high-quality collaborations worldwide.
Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, noted that the summit has become a cornerstone event supporting the Belt and Road Initiative, having gathered key government and business voices for dialogue and collaboration over the past decade. Chinese officials including Vice Minister Yan Dong of the Ministry of Commerce reiterated support for Hong Kong's role in deepening connectivity with mainland China and the world, particularly through financial and trade platforms.
The summit introduced new features this year, including Signature Belt and Road Projects Sessions that present major infrastructure developments. The Project Investment Session added a Middle East & ASEAN Market Focus segment, exploring potential opportunities in these key regions. Renat Bekturov, Governor of Astana International Financial Center, highlighted during the keynote luncheon the creation of the Turkic Green Finance Council and the importance of Hong Kong's leadership in sustainable finance for channeling trillions of dollars into profitable and sustainable Belt and Road projects.
The event features an extensive exhibition area across five zones, including a new ASEAN Zone focusing on projects from ten member states, and showcases more than 300 investment projects. The Belt and Road Deal-Making service is expected to facilitate over 800 one-to-one project matching meetings, both physically and online through the summit's website at the main conference page. This comprehensive approach to business matching transforms the Belt and Road Initiative into tangible economic cooperation, reinforcing Hong Kong's position as a vital hub for international collaboration and investment.