HKTDC Entrepreneur Day (E-Day) had been HKTDC’s anchor start-up event dedicated to assisting start-ups in taking their first significant strides into the business and accelerating growth. Under the overarching theme of “Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight,” E-Day had served as a platform for promoting entrepreneurship, offering a wealth of opportunities, and supporting services tailor-made for start-ups in Hong Kong.
The event had expected more than 350 exhibitors to participate that year, and over 15 events had been organised to facilitate start-ups in scaling up and fostering greater resilience. Latest technology trends and market insights had been offered to support start-ups in expanding to global markets and in searching for potential business partners.
With the theme “#Where Start-up Dreams Take Flight,” that year's E-Day had been brimming with hidden treasures. Start-ups had had the chance to expand their network, enhance their skills, and seize opportunities, connecting with investors and more.
International Strategy Institute (ISI) had invited us to attend the 13th World Chinese Economic Forum (WCEF), which had been held on 2 December 2025 at AsiaWorld–Expo, Hong Kong.
With the theme “Empowering Global Prosperity Through Innovation, Connectivity and Shared Progress,” the Forum had brought together global leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs—particularly from Belt and Road and ASEAN economies—to explore innovation-driven growth, digital transformation, and sustainable regional cooperation.
Since its inception in 2009, the WCEF—organised by the International Strategy Institute (ISI)—had become a premier platform for dialogue between China, ASEAN, and the global business community.
We had been deeply honoured that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, had accepted our invitation to be the keynote speaker at our luncheon on 10 November 2025.
H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow is one of Thailand’s most senior career diplomats. His previous key postings were as Thai Ambassador to Japan between 2015-2016 and subsequently as Thai Ambassador to France between 2016-2018, during which he concurrently served as the Thai Permanent Delegate to UNESCO and his country’s representative to the OECD. Throughout his career, he assumed a number of key positions both at home and abroad.
After joining the Thai Foreign Ministry in 1979, he served at the Thai Embassy in Washington DC from 1983-87 and in Tokyo from 1993-97, and as Thailand’s Consul-General in Hong Kong from 2000-2002. He took up the post of spokesperson of the Thai Foreign Ministry in 2002 before becoming Deputy Permanent Secretary in 2006. In 2007, he became Thailand’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva. During his tenure in Geneva, he was elected as President of the United Nations Human Rights Council between June 2010 and June 2011. After Geneva, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow was appointed to the most senior position in the Thai foreign service as Permanent Secretary, a position he held from 2011 to 2015. After serving as Permanent Secretary, he went on to be the Thai Ambassador to Japan and later to France before his retirement. He was also awarded the National Human Rights Award for his contribution to cause of human rights at and abroad.
He has especially had extensive experience in policy matters related to ASEAN. He was the head of the Thai delegation to the ASEAN Senior Official’s Meeting from 2006 to 2007, and again from 2011 to 2015. He was also Thailand’s Representative on the High-Level Task Force which drafted the ASEAN Charter, and the Chair of the High-Level Panel responsible for drafting the Terms of Reference establishing the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights.
H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow retired from the Thai foreign service as a career diplomat at the end of September 2018. He was formerly Advisor for foreign affairs at the Office of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor Special Development Zone and is also Thailand’s representative to the World Heritage Committee as well as a former senior visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. He also served as Secretary-General to the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council (APRC). He was also a Senior Advisor of the Humanitarian Dialogue Centre based in Geneva.
The Hon John KC LEE, GBM, SBS, PDSM, PMSM, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, had delivered his fourth Policy Address to the Legislative Council in September.
We had been deeply honoured that Mr. LEE had accepted our invitation to address the Hong Kong business community on 10 October.
Participants had joined us for an insightful session with Mr. LEE as he had shared his priorities for the Policy Address and discussed key initiatives shaping Hong Kong’s future, including:
- New Growth Areas: Had explored emerging sectors, trade markets, and innovative frontiers
- International Cooperation: Had strengthened Hong Kong’s global competitiveness
- Regional Collaboration: Had driven economic growth through strategic partnerships
The ASEAN Film Festival 2025 (‘AFF 2025’) (www.aseanfilmfest.org), which had run from 7 to 31 August 2025, had featured a curated selection of over 20 films from 10 ASEAN countries and 4 other Belt & Road Initiative countries under the theme of ‘A Belt and Road Celebration.’
The Honourable Paul Chan Mo-po, GBM, GBS, MH, JP, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, had delivered his 2025-2026 Budget Speech to the Legislative Council on 26 February 2025.
We had been deeply honoured that Mr. Chan had accepted our invitation to address the Hong Kong business community on 13 March 2025 regarding his Budget. This exclusive luncheon had presented a perfect opportunity for attendees to hear Mr. Chan elaborate on the details of his latest Budget, which had outlined the Government’s plans to steer fiscal policy and enhance Hong Kong's competitive advantage. He had also discussed measures to attract more businesses, talent, and capital to sustain economic growth while ensuring prudent management of public finances.
