At the invitation of Mr. John Luo, Deputy Chairman of the ASEAN–Hong Kong Economic and Trade Center (AHKETC), Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr. Kao Kim Hourn will lead the ASEAN Secretariat’s delegation to participate in the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Pre-Summit Forum, in Hong Kong, China, on 7 September 2026. Dr Kao is scheduled to deliver a keynote address and hold bilateral meetings with representatives of the ASEAN Hong Kong Economic and Trade Centre (AHKETC).
The Forum will also be attended by representatives from several ASEAN Member States, bringing together high-level participants to exchange views on opportunities and priorities for advancing ASEAN’s digital economy and regional digital integration.
The Forum will focus on two forward-looking priorities: “Digital ASEAN: Building the Operating Architecture of an Integrated Digital Economy” and the “ASEAN Gold Corridor: Building a Trusted Digital Infrastructure for ASEAN’s Gold Economy.”
Discussions will focus on how the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) can be translated into practical regional capabilities in digital trade, cross-border payments and trusted financial infrastructure. As ASEAN prepares for ASEAN DEFA implementation, strengthening these capabilities will be critical to advancing regional integration and unlocking the region’s digital economy potential, which could reach up to US$2 trillion by 2030. The discussion will also explore cooperation between ASEAN and Hong Kong, China, in leveraging ASEAN DEFA to strengthen digital economic linkages, facilitate greater interoperability, and create new opportunities for businesses to engage in seamless cross-border e-commerce, digital trade, and data flows between the two economies.
The ASEAN Hong Kong Economic and Trade Centre serves as a regional platform for strengthening economic and trade cooperation among ASEAN Member States, Hong Kong, China, Mainland China and other partners across the wider Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) region. It seeks to connect businesses, institutions, and other stakeholders in robust partnerships that promote greater understanding of regional markets, identify practical business opportunities, and support deeper economic and commercial engagement across the region.