Published: 11:34, January 26, 2026 | Updated: 16:43, January 26, 2026
Co-creating new horizons
By Wang Zhan in Hong Kong
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (center) shakes hands with Zou Lan (left), deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, during the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding with the Shanghai Gold Exchange at the 19th Asian Financial Forum, Hong Kong, Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
The 19th Asian Financial Forum, co-hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, opened on Monday.
The flagship two-day forum marks the region’s first major international financial event of 2026, according to the organizers.
With the theme “Co-creating new horizons amid an evolving landscape”, the event is being held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. It has invited over 140 financial officials, business leaders, and financial experts, and is expected to attract over 3,600 participants from more than 60 countries and regions.
The organizers said that the forum aligns with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, aiming to strengthen the foundation of the real economy, assist Chinese mainland enterprises in expanding globally, and attract international companies, while promoting Hong Kong’s unique advantages as a global financial and commercial hub.
China Daily’s Andy Chong and Edmond Tang captured these moments on the opening day of the event.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivers his opening remarks at the opening of the Asian Financial Forum 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu (third left); Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu (first left); Zou Lan (third right), deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, among other guests and officials, pose for a photo during the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding with the Shanghai Gold Exchange at the 19th Asian Financial Forum, Hong Kong, Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY) Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu delivers his opening remarks at the opening of the Asian Financial Forum 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council Frederick Ma Si-hang delivers welcome remarks at the opening of the Asian Financial Forum 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)Zou Lan, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China, delivers a speech during the opening of the Asian Financial Forum 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)(From left) HK's Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu; Slovenia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Klemen Boštjančič; Turkiye's Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek; President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Zou Jiayi; Vice-President for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific at the Asian Development Bank Scott Morris, share their perspectives on a plenary session themed "Fostering Cooperation for Shared Success" at the Asian Financial Forum 2026 in Hong Kong, on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)(From left) Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong Julia Leung; Chief Executive Officer of Securities and Commodities Authority in UAE Waleed Saeed Abdul Salam Al Awadhi; Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank Burkhard Balz; President for International at Standard Chartered Benjamin Hung; Chief Executive Officer of Asia for Morgan Stanley Gokul Laroia; Governor of the Bank of Korea Rhee Chang-yong, share their thoughts on Plenary Session II – “Charting the Future of Finance in Times of Uncertainty” at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Jan 26, 2026 during the Asian Financial Forum 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-Po delivers a welcome remark at the Keynote Luncheon of the Asian Financial Forum 2026 in Hong Kong on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)President of Management Committee of China International Capital Corporation Limited Wang Shuguang, delivers a speech at the Keynote Luncheon at the Asian Financial Forum 2026 in Hong Kong on Jan 26, 2026. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)José Manuel Durão Barroso, former president of European Commission, delivers a keynote address on global trade realignments, capital flows, and Hong Kong’s role in regional collaboration at the Keynote Luncheon at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Jan 26, 2026 during the Asian Financial Forum. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY) Attendees and guests enter the Asian Financial Forum 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on Jan 26, 2026. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)Attendees and guests discuss at the booth of Northern Metropolis project at Asian Financial Forum 2026 in Hong Kong on Jan 26, 2026. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)Attendees and guests gather at the China Daily booth at the Asian Financial Forum 2026 on Jan 26, 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where they had the opportunity to explore some of the news outlet's latest publications. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY) A guest discusses at the booth of the news outlet China Daily at the Asian Financial Forum 2026 on Jan 26, 2026. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY) A guest and a staff member pose for a photo at the booth of the news outlet China Daily at the Asian Financial Forum 2026 on Jan 26, 2026. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
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