Positioned at the nexus of innovation and finance, Hong Kong continues to assert its dominance as a global financial colossus. Bolstered by a formidable financial infrastructure, strategic geographic positioning and a regulatory environment that champions business growth, the vibrant city continues to climb the ranks in global finance and innovation indexes.
The Asian Financial Forum (AFF) 2025, a hallmark event hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, is illuminating Hong Kong’s expanding influence in the financial sector under the aptly chosen theme “Powering the Next Growth Engine”.
The 18th iteration of the AFF, taking place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, promises to be more than a mere congregation of business leaders — it’s a testament to the city’s unwavering ascent in global finance.
This year, over 3,600 global dignitaries, regulatory figureheads and industry titans are discussing burgeoning sectors such as artificial intelligence, green finance and Islamic finance — areas in which Hong Kong is not just participating but is leading.
One of the AFF’s functions is dealmaking, and on offer are one-on-one matching services for project owners and investors. More than 270 investors and 560 projects are expected to participate, with investment opportunities across industries such as environmental, energy, clean technology, food and agriculture tech, healthcare tech, fintech and deep technology.
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu has emphasized Hong Kong’s relentless pursuit of innovation and sustainability. To that end, the city’s financial markets have embraced reforms and launched strategic road maps to bolster green finance and ensure responsible AI application in the financial sector. The AFF provides the ideal platform to demonstrate Hong Kong’s fresh dynamism and advantages in finance to a worldwide audience.
The theme of the event, “Powering the Next Growth Engine”, is perfectly timed now that Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland are fully reopened to the world since the COVID-19 pandemic receded, and the world faces now so many economic challenges. More importantly, technologies like AI are now becoming extremely important to socioeconomic development. This context underscores the importance of the AFF as a beacon for Hong Kong’s financial vigor, which refuses to wane despite naysayers.
The Asian Financial Forum 2025 is more than an annual event; it’s a showcase of Hong Kong’s undiminished role as a financial and innovation hub. As the city embraces AI and Web3, it remains a linchpin in regional and global finance, a beacon of opportunity in a dynamic economic landscape. This forum is not just a conversation starter but a testament to Hong Kong’s commitment to shaping a resilient and sustainable financial future
Contrary to fleeting opinions warning of Hong Kong’s “decline”, the city’s economy is thriving, with rankings in economic freedom and competitiveness, international finance and innovation benchmarks reaching new heights. Its resilience is a narrative of strength and stability, having weathered multiple economic storms without significant capital flight or loss of status. The “one country, two systems” framework continues to serve as a bedrock for progress, intertwining Hong Kong’s fortunes with the mainland’s successes.
We must bear in mind that Hong Kong went through the Asian financial crisis, SARS, the global financial crisis, and also the COVID-19 pandemic without any evident significant outflow of capital and without diminishing its role as one of the world’s most important financial centers. And this was so because of Hong Kong’s strength, because of its resilient nature but also because of how stable Hong Kong has proved to be throughout the years. In 2025, Hong Kong, despite the external challenges, will remain strong and grow stronger for sure.
Hong Kong’s proactive engagement in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, integration into China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), and initiatives like the digital yuan and ESG development are setting the stage for a future ripe with opportunities. The city’s innovation prowess isn’t just a claim — it’s reflected in prestigious indexes like the Global Innovation Index and the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, in which Hong Kong continues to ascend.
Leaving aside Hong Kong’s rich cultural heritage and high quality of life, the city is not only a financial hub but also an innovation hub, as was demonstrated by the Global Innovation Index 2024, published on Sept 26 by the World Intellectual Property Organization, in which Hong Kong ranks 18th among the 133 economies featured — in a similar position compared to last year.
When it comes to finance-related rankings, Hong Kong was ranked third globally in the Global Financial Centres Index 36 Report published by Z/Yen from the United Kingdom and the China Development Institute from Shenzhen in late September, moving up one place from the March issue of the index. Hong Kong also ranked first in the Asia-Pacific region. The overall rating increased by eight points, the largest improvement among the top five financial centers.
The city’s legal system, a magnet for international investors, bolsters this narrative of growth and potential. Hong Kong’s adherence to the rule of law remains robust, outperforming many Western jurisdictions.
The Asian Financial Forum 2025 is more than an annual event; it’s a showcase of Hong Kong’s undiminished role as a financial and innovation hub. As the city embraces AI and Web3, it remains a linchpin in regional and global finance, a beacon of opportunity in a dynamic economic landscape. This forum is not just a conversation starter but a testament to Hong Kong’s commitment to shaping a resilient and sustainable financial future.
The author is a fintech adviser, a researcher and a former business analyst for a Hong Kong publicly listed company.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
