The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) successfully concluded on January 27, 2026, showcasing Hong Kong’s robust financial ecosystem and its strategic role as a global super-connector. Jointly organized by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the two-day event attracted over 4000 global leaders from more than 60 countries and regions. Participants convened to deliberate on the pivotal theme: “Co-Creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape,” highlighting the city’s strengths in empowering the financial industry.

The forum served as a global stage for strategic dialogue and cooperation, featuring a high-powered lineup of over 150 speakers, including representatives from leading financial institutions and multilateral organizations. A significant new initiative, the inaugural Global Business Summit, was launched to foster greater integration between finance and key industries, thereby supporting innovation and economic development. This move is intended to reinforce Hong Kong’s financial empowerment and its continued development.

During the Keynote Luncheon on the first day, Dr. José Manuel Barroso, former President of the European Commission, former Prime Minister of Portugal, and Chairman of the Advisory Board of Goldman Sachs International, delivered a compelling speech. He addressed Hong Kong's vital role in promoting regional cooperation and discussed how Asia could leverage Europe's experiences to strengthen economic integration. Dr. Barroso highlighted the current global "technological race" and the instability it creates, noting that major companies worldwide are seeking to strategically position themselves against both geopolitical and technological risks.

Further enriching the dialogue, Dr. Zhu Min, Member of the Senior Expert Advisory Committee of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, spoke at the Panel Discussion on the Global Economic Outlook. He emphasized the opportunities that renminbi internationalization presents for Hong Kong, stating that the city is "perfectly positioned to provide" the necessary liquidity and bond market for this process amidst competition among major currencies. In a significant development for the gold market, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Gold Exchange. This agreement established a high-level cooperative governance framework for Hong Kong’s central gold clearing system, exploring opportunities for coordinated physical infrastructure development and enhanced market connectivity, thus marking progress in Hong Kong's ambition to become an international gold trading hub.

The inaugural Global Business Summit underscored Hong Kong's role in cross-border collaboration. Co-organized by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the HKTDC, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), the summit commenced with opening remarks from Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, and Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC. Professor Ma articulated how financial services aid industries and investors in maximizing their impact, leading to advancements in technology, deeper integration, and sustainable development. He noted that the summit reflected a greater emphasis on co-creation at the AFF, which builds agility and resilience in economies, industries, and communities during unpredictable times. Professor Ma emphasized Hong Kong's unique suitability under the "One Country, Two Systems" framework to host such discussions, portraying the city as a "super-connector, super-collaborator and super-value-adder" and a crucial gateway between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world, supporting both Mainland enterprises expanding overseas and foreign enterprises accessing China.

A Pledging Ceremony during the summit solidified the commitment of the HKSAR Government, the HKTDC, and AFF Partners (including EY, HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Standard Chartered, UBS, CICC, Huatai Securities, Bank of Communication (Hong Kong), and China CITIC Bank International) to facilitate Chinese Mainland enterprises’ global expansion via Hong Kong and their integration with national development goals. The summit featured two pivotal plenary sessions: "Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global" and "Strategic Collaboration for Shared Growth." Business Plenary I, chaired by Victor Chu of First Eastern Investment Group, included leaders from XPENG, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, LONGi Green Energy, Alibaba Group, and others. Discussions focused on global expansion strategies, challenges, and opportunities for Chinese Mainland enterprises amidst macroeconomic changes. Business Plenary II, chaired by Lincoln Pan of Jardine Matheson, with speakers from Banking Circle, Infineon AG, Investcorp, JP Morgan, Revolut, and Triton Partners, explored strategies for entering the Chinese Mainland market. Liu Haoling, President of China Investment Corporation, also made remarks. Mohammed Alardhi, Executive Chairman of Investcorp, highlighted the critical "China-Gulf Cooperation Council corridor," noting the significant appetite in the Gulf region to partner with Chinese companies and technology due to favorable valuations and vast opportunities.

The Asian Financial Forum also facilitated strategic insights in high-growth sectors through a series of in-depth discussion sessions covering biomedicine and healthcare, green energy, new consumer trends, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. Industry leaders from Amgen and Merck, in the "Biomedicine 2026" session, identified high costs and lengthy R&D cycles as pressing challenges, stressing the need for diversified and internationalized financing channels to accelerate technological translation and commercialization. Subsequent sessions like "AI Infrastructure: Powering the Intelligent Supply Chain" and "AI Driven Robotics and Autonomous Technologies Revolutionising Industry" featured business leaders from DexForce Technology, JD.com, Pictet Group, AI² Robotics, Galbot, and Tencent. These discussions explored scalable AI application strategies, key investment priorities, and the growth momentum catalyzed by deep ecosystem collaboration, highlighting AI's potential to fundamentally transform sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and services.

During the summit, AFF conducted real-time polling to gauge participant perspectives on the global economic outlook, future financial and technological trends, and asset-allocation strategies. More than 70% of attendees expressed a neutral to optimistic outlook for the global economy in the current year. A striking 51.2% of participants believed that the development of AI and AI-driven applications was the top priority, especially given the rapidly evolving international landscape, significantly outpacing energy transition and sustainable development, which garnered 20.3%.

Positioning the AFF as a vital hub for international investment, the HKTDC proactively bridged global enterprises with potential partners through strategic on-site deal-making sessions. In collaboration with the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, these sessions attracted over 280 investors and 600 investment projects, resulting in more than 800 one-on-one meetings that effectively channeled global capital into opportunities. Success stories included a returning Thai participant finding promising co-investment partners and an Australian food processing project owner identifying partners offering expertise beyond financial investment. To ensure continued momentum, the matching services seamlessly transitioned to an online platform on January 28-29, 2026, extending networking opportunities beyond the physical event.

Complementing these private deals, the Project Investment Sessions showcased Hong Kong’s strategically important development initiatives, including the Northern Metropolis for cross-sector industry upgrading, SKYTOPIA (the Airport City development) to solidify Hong Kong International Airport as a future-ready aviation hub, and updates on the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, accelerating the I&T ecosystem within the Greater Bay Area. These presentations provided participants with insights into the city’s long-term regional connectivity, innovation-driven development, and infrastructure enhancement plans. A tangible impact of the forum was exemplified by a landmark collaboration in the food-tech sector: Hong Kong-based Techvalue International and Australia’s Gryph Holdings signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a joint venture, facilitated by the HKTDC Sydney Office. This partnership aims to launch innovative plant-based products, debuting in Papua New Guinea before expanding to Australian and New Zealand markets, further testifying to Hong Kong's role in cross-border innovation and high-tech commercialization.

The AFF expanded its physical presence through four distinct thematic zones: the FutureGreen Showcase, FintechHK Start-up Salon, InnoVenture Salon, and Global Investment Zone. These hubs hosted approximately 150 exhibitors, including major institutions like EY (Knowledge Partner), HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Standard Chartered, CICC, and Huatai Securities. The debut of the FutureGreen Showcase was a significant highlight, focusing on advancements in green finance and technology. This zone enabled capital matching for sustainable development, addressing global demand for green transformation by presenting solutions in green certification, climate-risk assessment, carbon-credit trading, and ESG monitoring.

Beyond the exhibition floor, the forum featured two pivotal roundtable meetings designed to foster deep industrial connections. The Hong Kong International Fundraising Roundtable 2026 convened senior executives from the Chinese Mainland and overseas with leaders from Hong Kong’s financial and professional services sectors to discuss practical financing strategies. Simultaneously, the first-ever "Attracting Strategic Enterprises: Roundtable on Hong Kong Opportunities," co-organized by the HKTDC and OASES, provided a dedicated platform for international and Chinese Mainland enterprises seeking to enter or expand within Hong Kong to network directly with local financial and professional service providers, reinforcing the city’s role as a primary gateway for strategic business growth.

In conclusion, the 19th Asian Financial Forum effectively consolidated the perspectives of global financial leaders and industry innovators, centering on the integration of emerging technologies and sustainable practices. By facilitating direct deal-making and outlining clear development roadmaps for regional infrastructure, the event served as a comprehensive barometer for international investment sentiment. As the forum wrapped up, the transition to online matching platforms and the formalization of cross-border agreements underscored a continued focus on maintaining momentum in global financial cooperation throughout 2026.