September 10, 2026
Organized by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the 11th Belt and Road Summit was successfully held in Hong Kong from September 9 to 10. Mr. Joseph Chan, Chairman of the Silk Road Economic Development Research Center, was invited to attend the event, joining over 6,200 government and business leaders from more than 70 countries and regions to explore the development opportunities of the Belt and Road Initiative amid a changing global landscape.
The two-day Summit yielded fruitful results. During the event, over 800 one-on-one business matching meetings were facilitated, and the signing of a record-breaking number of over 60 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) was witnessed. The total value of these MoUs and related transactions exceeded US$3.1 billion, fully demonstrating Hong Kong's vital role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" in the global economy.
To align with the new journey of high-quality development under the Belt and Road Initiative, this year's Summit introduced several innovative elements. These included the newly established "Going Global Chapter" aimed at supporting Mainland enterprises in expanding into overseas markets; a "Central Asia Focus" highlighting the potential of the Central Asian and Middle Eastern markets; a thematic breakout session exploring the alignment of Hong Kong's low-altitude economy with national strategies; and a "Dialogue for the Future" session designed to promote think-tank exchanges on regional cooperation. In addition, the Summit covered various frontier topics, including the Health Silk Road, cooperation among sovereign wealth funds, and the commercialization of university research outcomes.
The Silk Road Economic Development Research Center has long been dedicated to promoting economic and trade cooperation, as well as policy research, among countries along the Belt and Road. Chairman Joseph Chan’s attendance at the Summit not only reflects the Center’s strong focus on and support for the national Belt and Road strategy, but also allows the Center to gather valuable market dynamics and policy insights for future research and regional cooperation initiatives. The Center will continue to leverage its strengths as a think tank to contribute professional insights and help Hong Kong seize new opportunities in the development of the Belt and Road.