Events (13-04-2026) | Digital Policy Office

Secretary-General Ren (Secretary-General of the World Internet Conference (WIC), Mr Ren Xianliang), Secretary Professor Sun (Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I am truly honoured to join this Government-Enterprise Dialogue, where policymakers and leading WIC member enterprises from the Chinese Mainland and abroad come together to discuss artificial intelligence (AI) governance, cross-boundary data flow and digital finance.

We are living in a transformative era driven by data and intelligence. A recent market report projects the size of global AI market will grow from US$137 billion in 2022 to US$1.8 trillion by the end of 2030, with the Asia-Pacific region emerging as the fastest-growing engine and its market share anticipated to rise from 25% to 39%. This brings tremendous opportunities, and, at the same time, places a shared responsibility on all of us to consider how to build a digital future that is not only vibrant and innovative, but also secure and trustworthy.

Today, I would like to share our progress in three key areas: digital infrastructure, data ecosystem and governance framework, in the hope of sparking meaningful discussions.

As an international city and an integral part of our nation, Hong Kong is promoting “AI+” and facilitating a deep integration of AI across all sectors, with a view to achieving both “industries for AI” and “AI for industries”.

Computing power is the backbone of an AI-driven economy. Hong Kong’s current aggregate computing power stands at 5 000 PetaFLOPS, with the Cyberport’s AI Supercomputing Centre contributing a vital capacity of 3 000 PetaFLOPS. Looking ahead, the new Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster, Hong Kong’s flagship site for next‑generation data infrastructure, will mark a transformative leap, offering up to 180 000 PetaFLOPS of computing power by 2032, equivalent to 36 times our current capacity. This expansion will propel the AI industry, promote scientific breakthroughs, and drive the widespread application of AI technologies in industries and society. Furthermore, the HKSAR Government’s $3 billion AI Subsidy Scheme has approved around 30 high-impact research and development (R&D) projects led by leading institutions and enterprises, spanning the fields of large language models, new materials and biomedicine. These projects set benchmarks for AI research standards and applications in Hong Kong.

Trusted local and cross-boundary data flow are essential to fostering innovation and business growth. Since December 2023, the facilitation measure on the Standard Contract for the Cross‑boundary Flow of Personal Information within the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has been implemented progressively. Enterprises or organisations can adopt this secure and streamlined arrangement which facilitates cross-boundary personal data flow from the Mainland cities in the GBA to Hong Kong. To date, over 150 filing applications have been processed, empowering enterprises to tap new opportunities through trusted cross‑boundary data flow.

AI development must be steered by safety. We have published and continuously updated standards such as the Ethical Artificial Intelligence Framework and the Hong Kong Generative Artificial Intelligence Technical and Application Guideline, providing the AI governance framework tailored to the Hong Kong context for the development and application of AI technologies, covering key principles and safety standards for identifying and managing potential AI risks. Later this year, the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute will commence operations, tasked with studying and providing the local AI governance framework and strengthening the foundation for AI technology empowerment. To further align legislation with AI development, the HKSAR Government is reviewing the legislation to support a wider application of AI, underscoring the Government’s proactive approach to balancing innovation with risk mitigation.

In closing, I look forward to our discussions today yielding concrete ideas and partnerships as we jointly shape a digital future that is innovative, secure and beneficial to all. Thank you.

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The Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, delivered speech at the Government-Enterprise Dialogue of 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit.

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Prof. Sun Dong (second right), Secretary-General of the World Internet Conference, Mr Ren Xianliang (first right), the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, (centre), and other guests attended the Government-Enterprise Dialogue of 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit.

Speech by the Acting Commissioner for Digital Policy, Mr Daniel Cheung, JP, at the “Government-Enterprise Dialogue of 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit” (with photos)