Two international conferences will be held in Hong Kong for the first time this month, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has revealed, pledging authorities will continue to attract more events to bring in high-end tourists and enhance the city’s global network. The city leader said on Tuesday that several international conferences had made their Hong Kong debuts over the past three years, and two more important events would follow this month. They are the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia 2025, taking place from Friday to Saturday, and the International Conference on Roads and Railways 2025, taking place next Thursday and Friday. Both will be hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. “Since taking office, I have been actively expanding Hong Kong’s international network by calling for more international conferences, including those with new themes, to create fresh opportunities for the city,” Lee said before his weekly meeting with the key decision-making Executive Council. “International major conferences represent the high-quality segment of the conference economy. They attract high-spending, overnight and high-end business travellers to Hong Kong. The government will continue its efforts to bring more new and large-scale international conferences to Hong Kong.” Titled “Transitioning Towards the Future: Powered by Science and Technology Innovation”, Lee said the Boao conference would gather over 800 experts, academics and political and economic heavyweights from around the globe. Lee added that the event would also feature some prominent keynote speakers, including former national leaders, high-level representatives from international organisations, as well as renowned scientists. “This conference, being held in Hong Kong for the first time, will further enhance Hong Kong’s global competitiveness and influence in technology and innovation, and expand its international network in this sector,” said Lee. Hong Kong secured seventh position globally in overall digital competitiveness and ranked third globally in the “technology” category in the International Institute for Management Development’s World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2024. “Concurrently, both the number of start-ups and employees in Hong Kong have reached new highs, and the proportion of research and development expenditure to GDP has also hit a record high,” the city leader noted. Meanwhile, the roads and railways conference would centre on “building smart green transport infrastructure”, showcasing the latest global practices and technological advancements in this field, Lee said. He added the event would also present Hong Kong’s plans for major projects beyond 2030, demonstrating the city’s vision for driving development in the transport sector. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po will be the guest of honour for the two-day conference, and other guests include experts, academics and industry leaders from mainland China, Switzerland, Britain and Germany. Lee said attendees would explore future trends in road and railway development while broadening Hong Kong’s international reach in building, operating and investing in transport infrastructure. Last year, Hong Kong ranked second among 70 major cities worldwide in the Oliver Wyman Forum’s Urban Mobility Readiness Index, developed in partnership with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, which evaluates cities’ preparedness for the future of mobility. Since travel bans were lifted after the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong has been promoting and hosting international conferences covering a myriad of topics, including the Global Talent Summit and the World Internet Conference. Lee also announced that the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees would be hosted in the city for the first time next year, with the event expected to draw over 1,200 overseas and local representatives, as well as prominent figures from the sports community.