(From left to right) Patrick Tsang of HKAC and Tsangs Group moderates a panel discussion on the theme "Global Net Zero Dialogue" with Wang Shi, Founder of Vanke Group and DeepRock Group, and Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, member of the Legislative Council and Executive Council of Hong Kong SAR Government and Co-founder of HKAC on Dec 1, 2023. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
The future of a “green silk road” came into focus as Chinese mainland and Hong Kong business members discussed collaborative approaches to climate change challenges at the COP28 summit in Dubai.
The panel event, held on Dec 1, was part of the Global Net Zero Climate Dialogue and hosted on the sidelines of the UN climate summit, at the Biosphere 3 Solutions Pavilion. China’s Greater Bay Area (GBA) was in focus, given the ongoing integration and development of cities in the GBA — which comprises nine municipalities in Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions — on multiple fronts.
Lam said he hopes Hong Kong will continue to play its role as an international metropolis in Asia, with the HKAC promoting relationships and in-depth exchanges with global leaders in business, finance, culture, and the arts and showcasing Hong Kong's unique culture and spirit
Wang Shi, founder of property firm Vanke Group and technology solutions company DeepRock Group, emphasized that unity was urgent in the current dynamic global situation and that though the political landscape of the world is changing, the need for unified action against climate change “remains a top priority”.
With the development of the Greater Bay Area, Wang said he looks forward to the integration and joint development of cities on both sides of the bay in economic, social and cultural aspects.
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He expressed gratitude for the participation of the Hong Kong Ambassadors Club (HKAC) at COP28, which was leading a delegation spearheaded by HKAC co-founders Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, who is also a member of the Legislative Council and the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Patrick Tsang, chairman of Tsangs Group.
The delegation consists of members of family offices, technology family businesses from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, with a mission to represent Hong Kong and highlight the GBA’s role in green finance, sustainability, and technology.
Lam said he hopes Hong Kong will continue to play its role as an international metropolis in Asia, with the HKAC promoting relationships and in-depth exchanges with global leaders in business, finance, culture, and the arts and showcasing Hong Kong's unique culture and spirit.
Hong Kong has long promoted clean energy and a clean economy, encouraging green business transformation, Lam said. He believes that change is always good, but it requires thoughtful consideration of how to transition.
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Hong Kong and Shenzhen, as sibling cities, should cooperate closely, with the cooperation involving governments, social organizations, and enterprises, he said.
Tsang, the other co-founder of HKAC, said they were proud to have kicked off the COP28 event with a lively discussion on how the Green Silk Road can take shape by linking ideas born in China and COP28 host country United Arab Emirates.
He said he agreed that there is no Plan B, because there was no Planet B.
The HKAC was established with a visionary goal, which is to unite diverse global forces for a collective future, recognizing that the Earth is a shared legacy beyond any individual or nation, Tsang said.
(Fom left to right) Feng Nan, Director of the Biosphere 3 Solutions Pavilion and Chairman of DeepRock Group; Wang Shi, Founder of Vanke Group and DeepRock Group; and Salina Yan Mei-mei, Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong SAR, pose for a group photo at the Biosphere 3 Solutions Pavilion during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. (PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
He said the group was committed to taking tangible actions that foster international cooperation, paving the way for a more prosperous future and securing the well-being of the next generation.
Guests who were present at the forum included Tse Chin-wan, Hong Kong’s secretary for environment and ecology; and Salina Yan Mei Mei, permanent secretary for financial services and the treasury (financial services).
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On Dec 8, Tsangs Group and the HKAC will host Hong Kong Climate Day with the DeepRock Group, an event that will feature a series of sessions in the climate summit’s “Blue Zone”, discussing topics such as climate-proof technologies, innovations, and impact investing.
Also under discussion will be the roles of the next generations of family offices and technology entrepreneurs; and dialogues and exchanges in the context of Hong Kong as Asia's Green Finance Hub.
