International Internet Flagship Event Returns to Hong Kong to Bolster the City's Status as an International I&T Centre
HONG KONG, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Internet Conference (WIC) Asia-Pacific Summit, hosted by the WIC, organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, will return to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from April 13 to 14. Under the theme "Digital and Intelligent Empowerment for Innovative Development — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace," this year's Summit is expected to attract government and business leaders, representatives of international organisations, and esteemed experts and scholars from home and abroad to explore the latest global trends in artificial intelligence (AI), security and governance, digital finance and more.
The Summit will bring together numerous world-renowned innovation and technology (I&T) leaders, including heads and senior leadership representatives from key international organisations such as the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the International AI Governance Association. Industry pioneers including Prof. Nii Narku Quaynor, the "Father of the Internet in Africa", and Prof. Kilnam Chon, the "Father of the Internet in Korea", will also be in attendance. Furthermore, senior executives from leading I&T enterprises, including Qualcomm, Tesla, Manycore Tech from Hangzhou's "Six Little Dragons", as well as Mininglamp Technology and Yunji Technology, have confirmed their participation at the Summit.
Diverse Programme to Promote Regional I&T Collaboration
A major highlight of this year's Asia-Pacific Summit is the inaugural Ministerial Meeting, which will serve as a high-level platform for ministers and representatives of international organisations from home and abroad to engage in in-depth discussions on how AI and new quality productive forces can empower and drive high-quality economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region, thereby further strengthening regional cooperation.
The Hon Duncan Chiu, Member of the Legislative Council, said he was encouraged by the Summit being hosted in Hong Kong once again. He said, "The WIC Asia-Pacific Summit being held in Hong Kong again holds profound strategic significance for promoting the regional digital economy development. The Summit's focus on cross-boundary data governance and AI applications is key to leveraging Hong Kong's advantage in connecting the Mainland and overseas and supporting high-quality research and development.
"I look forward to the inaugural Ministerial Meeting, which will further deepen policy alignment in cross-boundary data and talent flows, and foster complementarity with infrastructure in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). In addition, the capacity-building events of the Summit will help the industry address training needs amid technological changes, providing support for the long-term development of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem."
The first day of the Summit will feature the Main Forum and the WIC Distinguished Contributors Gala, bringing together internationally renowned I&T leaders to share their outstanding contributions to advancing global Internet development. The Summit will continue to organise the Government-Enterprise Dialogue, inviting representatives from relevant government departments of the HKSAR and the GBA to engage in dialogue with leading technology enterprises, and exchange views on topics such as AI security and governance, cross-boundary data flow and digital finance, with a view to further promoting the collaborative development of the I&T industry between Hong Kong and other GBA cities.
The Hon Elizabeth Quat, Member of the Legislative Council, said, "The inaugural 2025 WIC Asia-Pacific Summit held in Hong Kong affirmed Hong Kong's role as an important bridge connecting the country and the world. The Summit attracted participants from around the globe, including representatives from the government and business sectors, international organisations, senior management of leading enterprises, and distinguished experts and scholars to converge in Hong Kong, and received widespread attention. As a high-level dialogue platform connecting the world, the Summit being held in Hong Kong again this year not only demonstrates the promotion of digital development under the National 15th Five-Year Plan, but also deepens high-level opening-up. By building the Asia-Pacific Summit as the most influential regional I&T event, Hong Kong can accelerate the development as an international I&T centre and further promote high-quality I&T development."
Promoting the International Development of the I&T Ecosystem
This year's Summit will feature six sub-forums, bringing together internationally renowned speakers to share insights on topics including "Innovation and Application of AI Agent", "Digital Finance", "AI Security and Governance", "AI for Better Life", "Digital and Intelligent Health", and "Digital Transformation and Dissemination of Classical Texts".
Local I&T enterprises, research teams and start-ups will be able to grasp the latest development trends in the global Internet and digital economy, engage in in-depth exchanges with I&T leaders from the Mainland and overseas, expand their collaboration networks, and enhance the global perspective and overall strengths of the local ecosystem.
Mr Daniel Cheung, Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, said, "By hosting this international Internet event, Hong Kong can further strengthen its international networks and leverage its unique roles as a 'super-connector' and a 'super value-adder' to attract more high-quality enterprises and top-tier talent to Hong Kong, while providing an ideal platform for Mainland enterprises to go global, thereby injecting continuous momentum into Hong Kong's long-term goal of developing into an international I&T centre."
SOURCE The Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau
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