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HONG KONG,29 August 2016 -

The Hong Kong - ASEAN Summit 2016, organised by Metro Finance and sponsored by DBS Bank (Hong Kong), was held today (Monday, 29 August 2016). Under the theme of "Five major goals of the Belt and Road initiative", the event looked at how Asian countries can strengthen and implement the five major goals of policy coordination, facilities connectivity, investment and trade cooperation, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds under China's Belt and Road development strategy.

The Hong Kong - ASEAN Summit 2016 is the third such annual event and brought together key representatives from Consulates General and trade associations, as well as entrepreneurs from Asian countries, Hong Kong's political and financial leaders, and experts in economic research. The event explored ways for local Hong Kong enterprises to further align with the "going out" policy, the prospects for RMB internationalisation in the context of Sino-US relations, and the corresponding strategies that should be adopted by enterprises. The Honourable Gregory So Kam-leung, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, delivered the luncheon keynote speech, in which he noted how the Hong Kong government assists companies interested in expanding their presence globally and in ASEAN markets along the routes of the Belt and Road initiative.

The Hong Kong - ASEAN Summit 2016 kicked off with welcome remarks by Mr. Sung M. H., Deputy Managing Director of Metro Broadcast Corp. Ltd. Mr. Stephen Ng, Chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, delivered the opening remarks, in which he shared his views on how Hong Kong can contribute to the new economy of Asia.

In his speech, Mr. Raymond Yip, Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, noted that ASEAN is Hong Kong's second biggest trading partner after Mainland China, and enjoys growing economic influence in the region. Mr. Yip highlighted the business prospects between Hong Kong and ASEAN, and explored ways for mutually beneficial economic collaboration.

In the following session, experts including Mr. Alex Cheung, Managing Director and Head of Institutional Banking Group, DBS Bank (Hong Kong), Mr. Jacky Foo Kong Seng, Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore, and Mr. Hoang Chi Trung, Consul General, Consulate General of Viet Nam, shared their insights on how countries in Asia can connect with China to create economic win-wins.

The summit also highlighted what countries could do to better position themselves for opportunities presented by the Belt and Road initiative. With the global economy presenting a significant influence on the ASEAN economic belt, Dr. Lee George Lam, President of the Hong Kong-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Foundation, discussed the new challenges facing enterprises in Hong Kong. Mr. David Carbon, Chief Economist, Managing Director for Economic and Currency Research, DBS Bank, also examined global economic growth from a macro perspective.

The last session of the summit focused on ASEAN's emerging markets. As the centre of global economic activity shifts eastward, ASEAN would become the heart of Asia and lead to a new form of regional collaboration. Mr. Albert Oung, Founding Chairman, Hong Kong Myanmar Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Lee George Lam, President of the Hong Kong-ASEAN Economic Cooperation Foundation, and Ms. Carol Wu, Executive Director, Head of Research, DBS Vickers (Hong Kong) Limited, shared their thoughts on how ASEAN would bring economic opportunities to countries worldwide.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Sebastian Paredes, Chief Executive Officer, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, said, "DBS Bank has successfully supported many key investment, financing, infrastructure and strategic advisory projects. Through our extensive connectivity across Asia and our deep understanding of the intricacies of doing business in the region, we are well positioned to help accelerate economic growth in ASEAN for many years to come".

The Hong Kong - ASEAN Summit 2016, organised by Metro Finance and sponsored by DBS Bank (Hong Kong), aims to provide an optimal platform to explore the potential and importance of ASEAN economic development and related business opportunities.

Photo Captions

Photo 1: More than 200 attendees and financial and business leaders gathered for the “Hong Kong - ASEAN Summit 2016” to explore new opportunities by the ASEAN economic community.

Photo 2: Mr. Gregory So Kam-leung, GBS, JP, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of HKSAR, delivered the luncheon keynote speech, in which he noted how the Hong Kong government assists companies interested in expanding their presence globally and in ASEAN markets along the routes of the Belt and Road initiative.

Photo 3: In his closing remarks, Mr. Sebastian Paredes, Chief Executive Officer, DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited, said, “DBS Bank has successfully supported many key investment, financing, infrastructure and strategic advisory projects. Through our extensive connectivity across Asia and our deep understanding of the intricacies of doing business in the region, we are well positioned to help accelerate economic growth in ASEAN for many years to come”.

Photo 4: Mr. David Carbon, Chief Economist, Managing Director for Economic and Currency Research, DBS Bank, examined global economic growth from a macro perspective.

Photo 5: Ms. Carol Wu, Executive Director, Head of Research, DBS Vickers (Hong Kong) Limited, shared her thoughts in a panel discussion on how ASEAN would bring economic opportunities to countries worldwide.

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DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia, with over 280 branches across 18 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS has a growing presence in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's capital position, as well as "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings, is among the highest in Asia-Pacific.

DBS is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, and has been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney. The bank has also been recognised for its leadership in the region, having been conferred “Asia’s Best Bank” by The Banker and Euromoney, and “Asian Bank of the Year” by IFR Asia. The bank has also been named “Safest Bank in Asia” by Global Finance for seven consecutive years from 2009 to 2015.

DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.

With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 22,000 staff, representing over 40 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.

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