The 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF) concluded on 27 January 2026, marking a success for Hong Kong’s financial ecosystem as it showcased the city’s strengths in empowering the industry.

Jointly organised by the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the forum served as a super-connector, attracting 4000+ global leaders from more than 60 countries and regions to deliberate on the theme “Co-Creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape.”

A Global Stage for Strategic Dialogue & Cooperation

The two-day event featured a high-powered lineup of 150+ speakers, including financial institution representatives and leaders of multilateral organisations.

The forum also launched the inaugural Global Business Summit to promote greater integration between finance and key industries, supporting innovation and economic development. The initiative is intended to contribute to Hong Kong’s continued development in the year ahead, in its latest chapter, by reinforcing its role through financial empowerment.

At the Keynote Luncheon on the first day of AFF, 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 keynote speech on Hong Kong’s role in promoting regional cooperation.

He also spoke about how Asia can learn from Europe’s experience to strengthen economic integration. Dr Barroso said:

“What we are seeing now is a technological race. This creates instability. And so, the major companies in the world – American, European, but also in Asia – the leaders want to see how they can position their corporations in a favourable position facing the geopolitical risk and the technological risk.”

Next, at the Panel Discussion on the Global Economic Outlook, Dr Zhu Min, Member of the Senior Expert Advisory Committee of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, discussed the opportunities that renminbi internationalisation could bring to Hong Kong.

He said:

“I see competition among the three major currencies. RMB internationalisation requires liquidity and a bond market – Hong Kong is perfectly positioned to provide this service.”

The Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau also signed a cooperation agreement with the Shanghai Gold Exchange to strengthen collaboration between the Hong Kong and Shanghai gold markets.

The agreement set up a high-level cooperative governance framework for Hong Kong’s central gold clearing system. It explored opportunities for coordinated development of physical infrastructure and enhanced market connectivity.

This marked progress in Hong Kong’s development as an international gold trading hub.

The inaugural Global Business Summit was held as part of AFF. It was jointly organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the HKTDC, and the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES).

The event started with opening remarks from Paul Chan, the Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government, and Professor Frederick Ma, Chairman of the HKTDC. Prof Ma said that the financial services segment helped industries and investors maximise their investments and their impact. This, in turn, would generate far-reaching benefits, including continued technological advancement, deeper integration and sustainable development.

He continued,

“In this sense, the Global Business Summit reflects the greater emphasis we are placing on co-creation at this year’s AFF.  In these unpredictable times, working together on shared goals adds to the agility and resilience of our economies, our industries and businesses, and our communities.”

He added on, saying that through the “One Country, Two Systems” framework, Hong Kong is well-suited to host such discussions and encourage collaboration across sectors, serving as a super-connector, super-collaborator and super-value-adder.

He noted that the city is home to businesses worldwide and is a “bustling two-way gateway between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world.” In doing so, Hong Kong supports high-growth Mainland enterprises in expanding overseas while aiding high-growth foreign enterprises to access China.

Commitment to Global Expansion and Cross-Border Collaboration

A Pledging Ceremony was held to show the commitment by the HKSAR Government, the HKTDC and the AFF Partners in collaborating to help Chinese Mainland enterprises in expanding globally via Hong Kong and to integrate with overall national development goals.

AFF Partners consisted of EY, HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Standard Chartered, UBS, CICC, Huatai Securities, Bank of Communication (Hong Kong and China CITIC Bank International.

During the summit, a series of plenary sessions were held. These comprised Business Plenary I – Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global and Business Plenary II – Strategic Collaboration for Shared Growth. Both plenary sessions focused on emerging opportunities in global market expansion as well as inbound foreign investment.

Business Plenary I on “Chinese Mainland Enterprises Going Global” was chaired by Victor Chu, Chairman and CEO of First Eastern Investment Group. Business leaders from XPENG, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, LONGi Green Energy, Wusawa Advisory, Alibaba Group, Seres Group and Shanghai Investment (Holdings) took part too.

The discussion centred on how Chinese Mainland Enterprises were developing global expansion strategies in response to changes in the macroeconomic environment. The speakers examined the challenges these companies faced and emerging opportunities in their efforts to grow internationally.

Senior representatives from XPENG, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, LONGi Green Energy, Wusawa Advisory, Alibaba Group, Seres Group, and Shanghai Industrial Investment Holdings also took part.

The discussion focused on how Chinese Mainland enterprises are developing global expansion strategies in response to changes in the macroeconomic environment. Speakers examined the challenges these companies face as well as the opportunities emerging in their efforts to grow internationally.

Next, for Business Plenary II on “Strategic Collaboration for Shared Growth,” leaders from global investment institutions and business executives shared their perspectives and strategies for entering the Chinese Mainland market.

The session talked about how national policies promoted stronger domestic demand and high-quality development, and in doing so, the Chinese Mainland offered ample opportunities for international companies to strengthen cross-border collaboration while expanding their presence across industry value chains.

The session addressed how national policies aimed at boosting domestic demand and promoting high-quality development are creating opportunities for international companies to strengthen cross-border collaboration and expand their presence across industry value chains.

Business Plenary II featured remarks by Liu Haoling, President, China Investment Corporation. It was chaired by Lincoln Pan, Chief Executive Officer, Jardine Matheson. Speakers included representatives from Banking Circle, Infineon AG, Investcorp, JP Morgan, Revolut and Triton Partners.

During the session, Mohammed Alardhi, Executive Chairman, Investcorp, said,

“The China-Gulf Cooperation Council corridor is vital. We’re connecting companies throughout the corridor, implementing Chinese technology there, and buying Chinese vehicles for logistics. It bridges the world’s second-largest economy and the Gulf region, which is transforming with vast opportunities and capital. When you compare the valuations of Chinese companies and technologies with those from the West, there’s no comparison. There is a significant appetite in the Gulf region to partner with them.”

The speakers discussed in-depth on how international firms can create new business roadmaps in the Chinese Mainland through investment, partnerships and joint ventures, while also examining Hong Kong’s crucial role as a gateway for companies entering the Chinese Mainland market.

During the summit, AFF conducted real-time polling across multiple sessions. The aim was to capture participant perspectives on the global economic outlook, their expectations on future financial and technological trends, and their asset-allocation strategies.

More than 70% of attendees expressed a neutral to optimistic outlook for the global economy throughout the current year. Next, 51.2% of participants believed that the development of AI and AI-driven applications was the top priority, especially given today’s rapidly evolving international landscape. This percentage was followed by energy transition and sustainable development at 20.3%

This emphasis on digital transformation significantly outpaced other critical areas, with energy transition and sustainable development following at 20.3%.

Strategic On-Site Deal-Making Sessions and Regional Synergy

The HKTDC continued to position the AFF as a vital hub for international investment and substantive cooperation, proactively bridging the gap between global enterprises and potential partners through business-matching opportunities.

This year, in collaboration with the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association, the AFF Deal-making sessions attracted 280+ investors and 600+ investment projects. These sessions resulted in more than 800 one-on-one meetings, effectively funnelling global capital with investment opportunities.

Success stories emerged from diverse regions, including a returning Thai participant who identified several promising co-investment partners, and an Australian food processing project owner shared that the platform helped in identifying potential partners that could provide support beyond financial investment, including practical expertise and technical guidance.

To ensure the momentum continued, the matching services transitioned to an online platform on 28 January 2026  and 29 January 2026, allowing for extended networking beyond the physical event.

Complementing these private deals, the Project Investment Sessions showcased Hong Kong’s strategically essential development initiatives.

Key presentations focused on the Northern Metropolis, which is designed to drive cross-sector industry upgrading, and SKYTOPIA, the Airport City development aimed at solidifying the Hong Kong International Airport as a future-ready international aviation hub.

Additionally, updates on the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park highlighted the city’s commitment to accelerating the I&T ecosystem within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Representatives of the respective organisations provided participants with recent project updates and investment opportunities on-site, offering participants a glimpse into the city’s long-term regional connectivity, innovation‑driven development and infrastructure enhancement plans.

The tangible impact of the forum was further exemplified by a landmark collaboration in the food-tech sector. On the first day of the AFF 2026, Hong Kong-based Techvalue International and Australia’s Gryph Holdings signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a joint venture.

This partnership, facilitated by the HKTDC Sydney Office through connections made at previous forums, aims to launch innovative plant-based products that can be instantly prepared with either hot or cold water. The venture plans to debut its products in Papua New Guinea before expanding into the Australian and New Zealand markets.

This agreement serves as a testament to Hong Kong’s role in enabling cross-border innovation and high-tech commercialisation.

Thematic Showcases Driving Green Innovation and Investment

The AFF expanded its physical presence this year 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 such as EY, which was AFF’s Knowledge Partner, as well as HSBC, Bank of China (Hong Kong), Standard Chartered, CICC, and Huatai Securities.

A significant highlight was the debut of the FutureGreen Showcase, which focused on the current advancements in green finance and technology. By enabling capital matching for sustainable development, this zone addressed the rising global demand for green transformation.

Exhibitors presented comprehensive solutions covering green certification and standards, climate-risk assessment and reporting, carbon-credit trading and management, and ESG monitoring. These presentations demonstrated the robust market demand for green transformation across different sectors.

High-Level Roundtables Fostering Deep, Strategic Connections

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 alongside leaders, as well as leaders from Hong Kong’s financial and professional services sectors. The session focused on practical strategies to address the diverse financing needs of various industries.

Simultaneously, the first-ever “Attracting Strategic Enterprises: Roundtable on Hong Kong Opportunities” was co-organised by the HKTDC and OASES.

This session provided a dedicated platform, which allowed key international and Chinese Mainland enterprises looking to enter or expand within the Hong Kong market to network directly with local financial or professional service providers, reinforcing the city’s role as a primary gateway for strategic business growth.

The 19th Asian Financial Forum effectively consolidated the perspectives of global financial leaders and industry innovators, centring 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 concluded, the shift toward online matching platforms and the formalisation of cross-border agreements signalled a continued focus on maintaining momentum in global financial cooperation throughout 2026.

Featured image edited by Fintech News Africa based on image by the Asian Financial Forum