The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) participated in the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, which concluded July 20 in Shanghai. For the fourth consecutive year, the HKTDC 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 innovation and technology (I&T) centre and its unique advantage as a bridge connecting China with global innovation resources.
Silas Chu, HKTDC Associate Executive Director (Technology and Digital Innovation), said the council is committed to fostering 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 said. The HKTDC continues to facilitate participation in major international technology exhibitions, enabling deeper exchange and collaboration with global corporations, investors, research institutions and business partners. Through participation in WAIC, the HKTDC aims to showcase Hong Kong’s vibrant I&T ecosystem and help bring innovative solutions to international markets.
On the first day of the conference, the HKTDC organised 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 global expansion of Greater Bay Area AI enterprises. Prof Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, said the Hong Kong SAR Government is pressing ahead with transforming Hong Kong into an international I&T 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,” he said.
The HKTDC also organised business matching and networking activities, including a visit to a Shanghai-based business incubator on July 16 and a roundtable and networking dinner with enterprises from Shanghai’s Xuhui District. These activities facilitated connections between Hong Kong enterprises and Chinese Mainland I&T companies, investors and industry representatives. Additionally, the HKTDC presented the My Favourite Start-up Award to AI SEMI Limited, an HSITP start-up driven by AI-empowered semiconductor manufacturing innovation. Jacky Chung, HKTDC Associate Executive Director (Global Network and Supply Chain) and Director of Chinese Mainland, noted that President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech emphasised jointly building a fair and equitable global AI governance framework. “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,” he said.
The HKTDC has been actively bringing Hong Kong enterprises to major international tech shows, including CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Mobile World Congress and 4 Years From Now in Barcelona, and Viva Technology in Paris. Since its inception, WAIC has brought together more than 8,100 leading scientists, entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders from around the world. This year’s conference, under the theme “AI Partnership for a Brighter Future”, brought together more than 1,100 companies and featured over 3,000 innovative products. The Hong Kong Tech Pavilion included startups such as AI SEMI Limited, Oxtak Limited, JiHu GitLab Technology Limited, VoiceAI Technologies Hong Kong Limited, and others across categories like workplace and enterprise solutions, smart city and infrastructure, robotics and automation, and finance, legal and cybersecurity.
