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The 18th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), successfully concluded today (15 January 2025), reaffirming Hong Kong’s position as a leading international financial centre.
Under the theme “Powering the Next Growth Engine,” the two-day AFF 2025 forum attracted over 3,600 policymakers, business leaders, and financial experts from more than 50 countries and regions.
A key highlight of the 18th Asian Financial Forum was its emphasis on leveraging Hong Kong’s strengths to foster multilateral collaboration and address global financial challenges. The event also featured high-ranking officials from Mainland China, including Zhou Ji, Dr Pan Gongsheng, and Liu Zhenmin, underscoring its regional significance.
The forum engaged participants in vibrant discussions on global economic trends, AI’s transformative potential, and sustainable development.
Keynote speakers included Prof Justin Lin Yifu, former Chief Economist of the World Bank, and Prof Stuart Russell, Co-chair of the World Economic Forum’s Council on AI, who offered insights into global economic shifts and the governance of generative AI.
Prof Russell said:
Prof. Stuart Russell
“We could build AI systems that are guaranteed to further human interests, but we aren’t. Some may worry that the machines that we are building will become conscious and lose control, but competence should actually be the topic that we worry about.”
The Gulf Cooperation Council Chapter also debuted, fostering ties between Hong Kong and the Gulf region through discussions led by financial officials and industry representatives from Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Along with industry leaders from Hong Kong, they came together to discuss economic progress in the Gulf region, explore potential investment opportunities, and identify strategies to enhance financial collaboration and investment ties between GCC member states and Hong Kong.
On-site polling revealed generative AI-led innovation (41.6%) as the most critical growth engine for the Asia-Pacific region, followed by non-AI innovations like digital infrastructure and healthcare (23%). In Mainland China, generative AI (31.4%) and advanced manufacturing (20%) were identified as key growth sectors.
The AFF Deal-making initiative, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCA), facilitated over 700 one-on-one meetings, connecting 270 global investors with more than 560 investment projects across fintech, healthtech, consumer goods, and other sectors.
Exhibition zones, including the Fintech Showcase, InnoVenture Salon, and Global Investment Zone, hosted over 140 exhibitors such as EY, HSBC, and UBS, promoting business connections and networking. Concurrent events like the Malaysia–Hong Kong Islamic Finance Roundtable and Family Office Symposium further highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a hub for global financial cooperation.
The AFF, a flagship event of the 2025 International Financial Week (IFW), will continue to drive synergies across the financial and business sectors through over 20 partner events this week until 17 January 2025, addressing critical topics such as net-zero investing, private equity, and generative AI, among others.
