The two-day 19th Asian Financial Forum (AFF), Asia’s first major international financial event of 2026, opened in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Monday.

The forum, themed "Co-creating New Horizons Amid an Evolving Landscape," highlights the role of finance in empowering industries.

Co-organized by the HKSAR government and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 19th AFF has brought together over 3,600 professionals from more than 60 countries and regions around the world, with about 80 business delegations from overseas and the Chinese mainland in attendance.

The event features a special discussion session on gold trading to promote Hong Kong's development as an international gold trading hub.

"The Asian Financial Forum has been in place for nearly 20 years. I believe it has played a tremendous role in the development of Hong Kong's financial industry," said Wang Shuguang, vice-chairman of China International Capital Corporation Ltd. (CICC).

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu stated in his opening speech that Hong Kong will continue to explore measures to deepen mutual access between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong financial markets and accelerate the development of new growth areas.

Besides, the forum has also gathered over 150 global political, business and financial leaders and experts.

It has launched the inaugural Global Business Summit, focusing on deep integration of finance and industry to foster more cooperation and to enable Hong Kong to fully leverage its unique advantages as an international financial and trade hub.

The forum, which runs through Tuesday, features multiple discussion panels, keynote speeches, thematic luncheons, and breakfast sessions, exploring global economic trends, economic forecasts, and other hot topics across finance and industry.