The World Internet Conference Asia‑Pacific Summit opened today at the Convention & Exhibition Centre, where Chief Executive John Lee delivered remarks.
Building on its successful debut last year, Hong Kong is once again organising the summit which Mr Lee noted underscores Hong Kong’s growing prominence as an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub.
“No less important, it reinforces our deep integration into national development strategies. The country’s National 15th Five-Year Plan, approved last month, continues to champion Hong Kong’s development as an international I&T hub, let me add. That includes supporting the development of I&T in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”
He added that the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen‑Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, which officially opened in December 2025, has attracted more than 70 tenants from key technology sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI) and data science, life and health technology, and new energy.
“We are also working with Mainland authorities on implementing facilitating policies at the Co-operation Zone. They include enabling the cross-boundary flow of bio-samples and other innovation elements.”
Mr Lee highlighted that AI is central to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s accelerating I&T development.
“We are putting together a comprehensive strategy combining world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge research and development (R&D) and a culture of responsible innovation. The upcoming data facility cluster at Sandy Ridge will further expand Hong Kong’s overall computing power. By 2032, this cluster alone will provide 180,000 petaFLOPS. That is 36 times Hong Kong’s current computing power.
“As for R&D, the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research & Development Institute’s opening, later this year, will help drive breakthroughs from upstream AI R&D. It will also transform midstream and downstream R&D outcomes and expand use cases.”
Themed “Digital and Intelligent Empowerment for Innovative Development – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”, the two-day summit is expected to gather around 1,000 government and business leaders, representatives of international organisations, experts and scholars from over 50 countries and regions to jointly deepen regional digital collaboration, and create new momentum and advantages towards the development of the Asia-Pacific region.
Director of the Cyberspace Administration of China and World Internet Conference (WIC) Chairman Zhuang Rongwen also delivered remarks at the opening ceremony.
After the opening ceremony, Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong and WIC Secretary-General Ren Xianliang co-hosted the Government-Enterprise Dialogue, engaging in a comprehensive exchange on government-enterprise collaboration to empower business development.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Prof Sun delivered their remarks at the Main Forum and Distinguished Contributors Gala in the afternoon, outlining Hong Kong’s advantages for digital economy and I&T development.
A Hong Kong Dialogue was also staged to feature emerging technology enterprises to engage in an extensive exchange on frontier I&T trends, jointly envisioning the future directions and opportunities for I&T developments.
A first-ever ministerial meeting was convened and co-hosted by Prof Sun and Mr Ren, providing a premier platform for ministerial officials and representatives of international organisations from across the globe to facilitate high-level exchanges and dialogue. I&T ministers from Samoa, Madagascar, Turkmenistan, Burundi and others conducted rigorous discussions on topics such as how AI promotes high-quality economic growth.
The summit is hosted by the WIC, organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology & Industry Bureau.
