The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) successfully concluded its participation in the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance in Shanghai, marking its fourth consecutive year at the event. The HKTDC, alongside Cyberport, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited (HSITP), mounted the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, showcasing innovative solutions from 18 leading Hong Kong AI enterprises and institutions to global investors and industry players. The pavilion covered areas including intelligent robotics, smart city technologies, cybersecurity and enterprise intelligence, demonstrating Hong Kong’s strengths as an international I&T centre and its unique advantage as an important bridge connecting China with global innovation resources.
Silas Chu, HKTDC Associate Executive Director (Technology and Digital Innovation), stated that the HKTDC is committed to fostering the development of Hong Kong’s I&T and start-up ecosystem. Through various platforms, we actively help start-ups enhance their market visibility, expand into the Chinese Mainland and overseas markets, and further promote Hong Kong’s I&T strengths. He emphasized that the HKTDC continues to facilitate the participation of local I&T enterprises in major international technology exhibitions and industry events, enabling deeper exchange and collaboration between the industry and global corporations, investors, research institutions and business partners. “These efforts help the sector stay abreast of developments in AI and other frontier technologies, while exploring new application scenarios and market opportunities. Through our participation in WAIC, we hope to showcase Hong Kong’s vibrant I&T ecosystem to a global audience and help bring more innovative solutions to international markets,” Chu added.
On the first day of the conference, the HKTDC organized the Seminar on Fostering Economic Innovation and Global Collaboration through AI, bringing together representatives from government, research institutions, the financial sector and I&T enterprises. The seminar discussed AI industrialisation and real-world applications, governance and standards alignment, financial empowerment and the global expansion of Greater Bay Area AI enterprises. Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, delivered opening remarks, highlighting the government's efforts to transform Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre while building a robust, trustworthy, internationalised and sustainable AI ecosystem. “Leveraging the unique advantages of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, Hong Kong will continue to deepen collaboration among the government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors, strengthen ties with provinces and municipalities across the Mainland, and harness the power of AI to drive Hong Kong’s development,” Sun said.
Jacky Chung, HKTDC Associate Executive Director (Global Network and Supply Chain) and Director of Chinese Mainland, noted that President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech emphasized the importance of jointly building a fair and equitable global AI governance framework, making AI development a symphony of global collaboration. “As AI shifts from R&D breakthroughs towards large-scale industrial application, Hong Kong will leverage its unique strengths to contribute to the national 15th Five-Year Plan. The HKTDC will continue to actively support Mainland AI enterprises in expanding into international markets, accelerate the adoption of AI across diverse application scenarios, build international innovation and technology platforms, and foster more cross-border collaboration,” Chung said.
The HKTDC also organized a series of business matching and networking activities, including a visit by participating enterprises to a Shanghai-based business incubator on 16 July, as well as a roundtable and networking dinner with enterprises from Shanghai’s Xuhui District. These activities facilitated business connections between participating Hong Kong enterprises and Chinese Mainland I&T companies, investors and industry representatives, further deepening I&T collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland. Additionally, the HKTDC organized the My Favourite Start-up Award, which was presented to HSITP start-up AI SEMI Limited. Driven by AI-Empowered semiconductor manufacturing innovation and centered on AI optical proximity correction (AI-OPC), AI SEMI builds a triangular flywheel of “algorithm + data + process” to reshape the lithography technology value chain.
Following participation in CES 2026, MWC and 4YFN, and Viva Technology, the HKTDC once again organized the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion at WAIC, providing start-ups a platform to showcase their technology solutions and connect with international investors. Since its inception, WAIC has brought together more than 8,100 leading scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders, becoming an important platform for advancing AI innovation, industrial collaboration and global AI governance. Under the theme “AI Partnership for a Brighter Future”, this year’s conference brought together more than 1,100 companies and featured over 3,000 innovative products. For more information about the HKTDC and its initiatives, visit www.hktdc.com/aboutus.
