Senior business leaders from high-growth sectors met with influential investors and policymakers in Hong Kong last week at a new signature event, the Global Business Summit, to explore how financial services can amplify innovation, ROI and sustainable development.

The Summit, which was held as part of the Asian Financial Forum (AFF), reflected a renewed emphasis at AFF on strengthening the links between finance and the real economy.

One particular focus of the Global Business Summit was leveraging Hong Kong’s role as a two-way gateway between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world.

Plenary sessions explored the strategic choices for Chinese Mainland enterprises pursuing growth overseas, as well as how international companies can expand cross-border collaboration and deepen their positions along industry value chains.

“In these unpredictable times, working together on shared goals adds to the agility and resilience of our economy, our industries and businesses, and our communities,” said Prof Frederick Ma, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), speaking at the opening of the Summit.

“Hong Kong, under the one country, two systems model, is perfectly suited to host these conversations and promote cross-sector collaboration.”

The Summit was coorganised by the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the HKTDC and the Hong Kong SAR Government’s Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES).

Many speakers highlighted Hong Kong’s value in facilitating two-way capital flows between the Chinese Mainland and overseas.

Liu Hoaling, President of China Investment Corporation (CIC), China’s sovereign wealth fund, recounted how CIC has been working with leading international financial institutions to set up bilateral offshore funds.

For example, the Golden Horizon Cooperation Fund, a partnership with Bahrain-based Investcorp, focuses on investment opportunities in China and Gulf Cooperation Council markets across the consumer, healthcare, business services, and transportation and logistics sectors.

China’s sovereign fund is also working on a similar endeavour with Southeast Asian partners, targeting China and ASEAN countries.

“CIC is committed to being a long-term partner of Hong Kong, leveraging its role as a superconnector and super value-adder,” Mr Liu said.

Innovative financing solutions

Alibaba Group CFO Toby Xu, also speaking at the Summit, explained how Hong Kong plays a major role in the tech company’s financing needs, from raising money in capital markets to investor communications.

Fresh funds can support ongoing investment in digital infrastructure, especially in AI and cloud-based services, as well as market expansion at home and abroad.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s open-minded regulatory bodies, combined with a forward-thinking stock exchange and professional associations, can help deliver cutting-edge financial solutions.

“This market is very significant, very deep-pocketed and very innovative,” Mr Xu observed. “For a lot of Chinese companies who want to go abroad, they can also better leverage this market.”

Another pioneering Chinese tech firm, solar specialist LONGi Green Energy Technology, has also relied heavily on Hong Kong to finance its growth. The firm has expanded its business to more than 150 countries and regions worldwide since it was founded in 2000.

“Most of our overseas investment went through our Hong Kong platform,” remarked Founder and Chief Technology Officer Li Zhenguo.

“We received important support from the capital market here. Hong Kong is an excellent gateway and bridge for our global expansion.”

Diversified and internationalised financing channels can also help new innovations speed up both technological translation and commercialisation.

Paul Burton, SVP & Chief Medical Officer at Amgen, and Marc Horn, President of Merck China, both highlighted the costly and lengthy R&D cycles in biomedicine while speaking at the Summit.

Maximising tech’s impact

In a session discussing autonomous technologies, industry leaders – including Zhang Peng, Co-Founder, Director and VP of general-purpose robotics company AI² Robotics, Yao Tengzhou, Co-Founder of humanoid robotics firm Galbot, and Dowson Tong, CEO of Tencent Cloud and Smart Industries Group – examined how AI-driven robotics can transform healthcare, manufacturing and services, while creating new investment opportunities.

On another panel looking at how AI infrastructure can power intelligent supply chains, business leaders – including Prof Jia Kui, Founder of embodied intelligence specialist DexForce Technology, Dr Shen Jianguang, VP and Chief Economist for e-commerce giant JD.com, and Niall Quinn, an Equity Partner at asset management group Pictet Group – reviewed scalable application strategies, investment priorities and ecosystem collaboration.

Speaking at the opening of the Summit, Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, outlined Hong Kong’s catalytic role in supporting high-value sectors.

The Northern Metropolis – a new strategic development area, comprising around one-third of Hong Kong’s landmass – can help integrate innovation and technology with industrial development.

At the same time, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation, which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government, can provide patient capital and make strategic investments in high-potential ventures, complementing the city’s world-class financial services and international connectivity.

“Hong Kong is not just a platform that connects capital, markets, projects, talent and opportunity,” Mr Chan stated.

“Hong Kong is willing to be a strategic partner to help you grow, scale up and go global.”