The Belt and Road Global Forum held its first annual roundtable at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The conference was attended by over 80 member organisations from 24 countries and regions. It was divided into two parts. The first session examined the Belt and Road Initiative from a global perspective, covering topics including business opportunities arising from the initiative, Chinese investment trends, the infrastructure needs of different regions, as well as the different approaches to facilitating infrastructure investment and financing in emerging economies. The second session explored the practical aspects of the initiative through discussions on sources of funding, investment models, project identification, risk mitigation, and case studies of best practices.

The forum is an alliance of chambers of commerce, industry associations, investment promotion agencies and think tanks in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and around the world. It aims to promote interaction, share information and business collaboration among member organisations. At present, the forum has a membership of more than 110 organisations from 29 countries and regions with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) serving as the secretariat. It will hold annual roundtable meetings to promote closer cooperation among members.