Buildings are seen from Victoria Peak at night in Hong Kong, on Aug 28, 2019. (PAUL YEUNG / BLOOMBERG)

HONG KONG - Leveraging Hong Kong's strategic role as an innovation and investment hub for the healthcare sector in Asia, the first International Healthcare Week kicked off here on Tuesday.

Driven by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the International Healthcare Week, which will run through Nov 15, is expected to bring together a wide array of healthcare-related conferences and networking events to promote Hong Kong as a leading healthcare hub.

The two flagship events of the International Healthcare Week are the second Asia Summit on Global Health co-organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the HKTDC, and the 13th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair

The two flagship events of the International Healthcare Week are the second Asia Summit on Global Health co-organized by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the HKTDC, and the 13th edition of the HKTDC Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair.

ALSO READ: Dennis Lo: Golden era awaits HK youth in biomedical research

The two events encompass both upstream and downstream healthcare industries, from technology research and development, investment matching and medical device manufacturing, to medical products and services.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare and the life sciences have become a global focus, Margaret Fong Shun-man, executive director of the HKTDC, said in a press release.

She said that the HKTDC has been promoting technology and medical devices through various channels over the years, and noted that Hong Kong has considerable strengths in medical health-related industries.

In launching the first-ever International Healthcare Week this year, the HKTDC is inviting policymakers, healthcare experts, leaders in scientific discovery as well as business and financial leaders from around the world to share the latest industry knowledge and build business networks, so that Hong Kong can share the opportunities in Asia's rapidly expanding healthcare industry, she added.

READ MORE: A cutting-edge Hong Kong medical facility