BEIJING, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, attended a press conference on the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Asia-Pacific Summit in Beijing this morning (March 17), together with the Secretary-General of the WIC, Mr Ren Xianliang, to announce that Hong Kong will once again host the Asia-Pacific Summit this year.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (right), alongside the Secretary General of the World Internet Conference, Mr Ren Xianliang (left), attended the press conference on the 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit in Beijing today (March 17).
Following the debut of the WIC Asia-Pacific Summit hosted in Hong Kong last year, the city will once again collaborate with the WIC to stage the international Internet flagship event. Hosted by the WIC, organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and co-organised by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (ITIB), the Summit will take place on April 13 and 14 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) under the theme “Digital and Intelligent Empowerment for Innovative Development – Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”. The Summit is expected to attract government and business leaders, representatives of international organisations, and experts and scholars from the Mainland and overseas to gather in Hong Kong. Through in-depth discussions on global Internet frontier topics, the Summit aims to promote high-quality innovation and technology (I&T) development, strengthen regional digital collaboration, and jointly create new momentum and advantages for the development of the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr Ren said that the WIC will continue to organise the Summit in Hong Kong, the Pearl of the Orient, this year to explore AI development and governance. Not only does it reflect Hong Kong’s aspiration to promote Internet and I&T advancement, but it also aligns with its unique mission of bridging the Mainland and overseas as well as connecting the world.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, attended a press conference on the 2026 World Internet Conference (WIC) Asia Pacific Summit in Beijing this morning (March 17), together with the Secretary-General of the WIC, Mr Ren Xianliang, to announce that Hong Kong will once again host the Asia Pacific Summit this year.
Professor Sun expressed his gratitude to the WIC for designating Hong Kong to once again host this highly anticipated international Internet event. As a premier platform for global dialogue, the return of the WIC Asia-Pacific Summit to Hong Kong this year embodies not only an important measure in promoting digital development under the 15th Five-Year Plan but also the implementation of deepening the high-level opening up to the world. The HKSAR Government eagerly anticipates collaborating with the WIC again to transform the Asia-Pacific Summit into the most impactful regional I&T event, accelerating Hong Kong’s development as an international I&T centre and further promoting the high-quality development of I&T in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the country, the Asia-Pacific region, and globally.
The 2026 Summit will feature a comprehensive agenda. Apart from the opening ceremony on the first day of the Summit, the main forum will introduce the WIC Distinguished Contributors Gala where various internationally renowned I&T dignitaries will be invited to share their outstanding contributions to spearheading global Internet development. This year’s Summit will also introduce a first-ever ministerial meeting, providing a premier platform for ministerial officials and representatives of international organisations from across the globe to engage in high-level exchanges and in-depth dialogue on topics such as how AI can empower high-quality economic growth.
The second day of the Summit will feature an expanded lineup of six sub-forums, convening internationally renowned speakers for insightful discussions on topics including “Innovation and Application of AI Agent”, “Digital Finance”, “AI Security and Governance”, “AI for Better Life”, “Digital and Intelligent Health”, and “Digital Transformation and Dissemination of Classical Texts”. These sub-forums will explore how I&T can forge new growth drivers for the economy and how international co-operation can promote the development of the digital economy. The Summit will also be complemented by a series of affiliated activities, including a government-enterprise dialogue, capacity-building events to be hosted by the WIC Digital Academy, and a new technology exhibition zone.
Alongside the Summit, Hong Kong will also stage its annual I&T mega event, the Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), concurrently in April to present a series of exciting I&T activities. A highlight of the BIT Week will be the InnoEX 2026, co-organised by the ITIB and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. It will be held from April 13 to 16 at the HKCEC. Themed “Innovate • Automate • Elevate”, the InnoEX 2026 will navigate topics such as AI+, robotics, low-altitude economy, property technology, and retail technology that will shape the future of innovations through a large-scale exhibition, seminars, and business networking events.
