Zhitong Finance APP learned that on August 27, Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Qiu Yinghua said at the press conference of the 10th "Belt and Road Summit Forum" that Hong Kong has the unique advantages of internal and external connections, and has a comprehensive financial and professional service industry, providing all-round support for the "Belt and Road" project. Many mainland technology companies have used the Hong Kong platform to "go global" to promote scientific and technological innovation in jointly building the "Belt and Road".

Qiu Yinghua said that the country proposed the "Belt and Road" initiative in 2013, and the Hong Kong SAR government actively participated in eight actions in jointly building the "Belt and Road". As an international trade and financial center, Hong Kong has always been very open to the outside world; the "Belt and Road" initiative allows Hong Kong to give full play to its significant advantages in connectivity, bringing continuous opportunities to Hong Kong, acting as the preferred functional platform and important node of the "Belt and Road" and promoting the development of jointly building the "Belt and Road".

Since 2013, Hong Kong's commodity trade volume with countries and regions of the "Belt and Road" has increased by nearly 80%, which is 3.2 times the increase in Hong Kong's foreign commodity trade volume during the same period, reaching about US$280 billion. In addition, in 2023, Hong Kong's foreign direct investment position in these regions exceeded US$130 billion, 3.6 times that of 2013 and four times the overall growth rate of Hong Kong. These figures not only show Hong Kong's strong strength as an international trade and investment hub, but also highlight the growth potential of the "Belt and Road" market.

So far, Hong Kong, China has signed free trade agreements with 14 "Belt and Road" countries, and signed investment promotion and protection agreements with about 20 "Belt and Road" countries to support the construction of an open world economy. The SAR government also sponsors small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in export promotion activities, as well as brand development, upgrading and transformation and expanding marketing through the "Special Fund for Developing Brands, Upgrading and Transforming and Expanding Domestic Sales Market". The government's economic and trade office, the Trade Development Bureau and the Investment and Promotion Agency have covered 99 countries in the Belt and Road Initiative so far.

In terms of cultural exchanges, Hong Kong has organized various cultural exchanges and educational cooperation projects to enhance understanding and friendship with the countries of the "Belt and Road" and lay the foundation for long-term cooperation. Last year's Policy Address also proposed to build the brand of "Study Abroad in Hong Kong" to attract outstanding students from countries and regions along the "Belt and Road" to study in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's "Asian Art Without Borders" Art Festival has also become a grand event every year, attracting many citizens and tourists to participate, and showing the cultural charm of Asia and the "Belt and Road" countries and regions.

As for the "Belt and Road Summit Forum" cooperating with the SAR Government and the Trade Development Bureau, it is an important link for Hong Kong to participate in the "Belt and Road" and is included in one of the achievements made in the past ten years of joint construction of the "Belt and Road" introduced in the white paper "Commonly Building the Belt and Road": Major Practice for Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind". From the first forum with more than 2,400 participants from 48 countries and regions, to the ninth session of last year, there were more than 6,000 participants from about 80 countries and regions. The forum's attention in the "Belt and Road" and other regions has greatly increased. The current government has established about 50 cooperation memorandums so far at the "Belt and Road Forum", covering commerce, finance, environmental protection, meteorology, anti-corruption, etc.

This year, the "Belt and Road Forum" will also have many new highlights. For example, a new key project link for the "Belt and Road" will be established to promote Hong Kong's professional services and enterprises to participate in key infrastructure projects of the "Belt and Road"; a focus market link will be established to focus on potential opportunities in individual markets; a roundtable for sustainable development will be opened to share professional services and public governance experience with officials of the "Belt and Road" countries; at the same time, it will also strengthen links with young business leaders and increase exchanges.