The latest plan for the establishment of the central clearing system for gold in Hong Kong is expected to be unveiled at the 19th Asian Financial Forum, paving the way for future deep interconnectivity with the mainland, said Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu.
The forum, scheduled for January 26 and 27, will include a signing ceremony for the MoU regarding gold market development on the first day, marking a significant step for the city's gold trading, Hui said in his blog.
Co-organized by the government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the AFF is expected to welcome over 3,600 participants from 60 countries and regions, of which 80 percent are companies' chief executives or senior managers.
Under the theme of "co-creating new horizons amid an evolving landscape", AFF brings together global financial and industrial leaders, exploring ways to achieve mutual success amid a complex global environment.
He noted that this year's forum also features the inaugural Global Business Summit on the second day, which will explore industry trends and opportunities in fields like artificial intelligence and technology, new consumption, biomedicine and healthcare, and new energy.
The AFF Deal-making will offer one-to-one meetings covering ten key industries during the forum, concerning environment and energy, fintech, consumption, healthcare, and so on.
Besides, in the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong must drive the deep integration of finance and the real economy. Hui said.
He added that Hong Kong is accelerating its transformation into the center for professional services, providing support for companies in areas including trade finance, supply chain management, risk management, and innovative investment.
This direction aligns highly with China's policy, particularly echoing the goals of enhancing the independence and controllability of industrial chains, developing advanced manufacturing clusters, and promoting high-level opening-up, Hui stated.
