The Center for Financial and Monetary Systems 2025 Symposium kicked off Wednesday, marking the first time the symposium was held in Hong Kong.

Co-hosted by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), the symposium welcomed business leaders, tech pioneers and academics from around the world to discuss global themes and megatrends that are particularly relevant to Asia today, including emerging technologies, fintech, growth financing and sustainability.

Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, said at the symposium that Hong Kong will continue to serve as a gateway for international investors to explore development opportunities in the Chinese mainland as well as in Asia.

Chan called on international investors to seize the opportunities and invest in China, noting the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific region will remain the global growth engine over the next decade.

Matthew Blake, head of the Center for Financial and Monetary Systems, World Economic Forum, said that with the world today facing significant uncertainty due to geopolitical, technological, and economic shifts, it is essential that leaders in financial services come together to address these challenges.

Bonnie Chan, chief executive officer of HKEX, said that as a key financial market infrastructure, HKEX is committed to connecting global capital with the region's opportunities, which is more important than ever in the rapidly changing world. HKEX looked forward to working closely with the WEF to bring global conversations to Asia and driving sustainable progress in the financial services sector.

The WEF is an unofficial international organization dedicated to researching and addressing issues in the global economic sphere, as well as promoting international economic cooperation and exchanges.