Hong Kong
A delegation from the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, headed by H.E. Dr. Ali Mohammed Al Khouri, Advisor to the Arab Economic Unity Council and Chairman of AFDE, held a meeting with H.E. Paul Chan, Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, and Ms. Lillian Cheung, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology, at the Central Government headquarters of Hong Kong, with the participation of several representatives from both sides.
During the meeting, the Financial Secretary affirmed Hong Kong’s support for AFDE’s initiatives and expressed his appreciation for the proposal to establish a joint industrial investment fund that would finance innovative digital projects supporting financial transformation in the Arab region. He emphasized that the Hong Kong government views such initiatives positively and is ready to explore potential avenues of cooperation and knowledge exchange to strengthen future partnership opportunities. He also highlighted the importance of AFDE’s Hong Kong office as a platform for coordination and engagement with local institutions, helping consolidate digital cooperation with Arab countries.
For her part, Ms. Lillian Cheung, Under Secretary for Innovation and Technology, commended the Arab Digital Economy Vision led by AFDE, describing it as an inspiring model for regional and international cooperation. She expressed her appreciation for the role of the United Arab Emirates in supporting this vision through practical initiatives and programs that promote digital development across the region. She also stressed her eagerness to work with AFDE on joint projects and programs in areas such as fintech, big data, and smart cities.
H.E. Dr. Ali Mohammed Al Khouri, in turn, expressed his gratitude for this official support, considering it a strong guarantee for the success of the partnership with Hong Kong. He stressed that AFDE’s mission goes beyond launching projects to building a shared digital ecosystem that serves the development objectives of the Arab region. He added that Hong Kong is more than a financial center — it is a smart gateway to Asia — and that a partnership with it would open broad horizons for linking the ambitions of the Arab world with China’s advanced technological capabilities.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to maintain ongoing communication and coordination between the Ministry of Finance and AFDE’s Hong Kong office in the coming period to follow up on the implementation of cooperation items and to set a timeline for launching the joint investment fund, thereby strengthening Arab–Chinese partnership in the field of the digital economy.
