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    Asia House to return to Hong Kong for major trade dialogue

    Published On: 24 September 2019

    Asia House is returning to Hong Kong this October to convene a major dialogue – The Future of Trade.

    The conference will explore the forces shaping global trade, investment, technology and policy, and builds on previous Asia House dialogues across Asia, including forums in Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. It takes place at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 30 October 2019, 9.00am-2.00pm.

    A timely conversation

    Asia House is bringing the Future of Trade dialogue to Hong Kong at a crucial time for the city, where the ongoing crisis has raised concerns about Hong Kong’s future as a global financial centre and its role in world trade.

    But there are other forces reshaping the world trading architecture. Ongoing tensions between the US and China are disrupting trade flows and fuelling fears of a currency war. Relations between Japan and South Korea continue to worsen, while rivalries between India and China are jeopardising the race to complete RCEP – a trade deal that could incorporate a third of global GDP. The WTO is under fire with demands it be reformed, as the established rules-based order comes under increasing strain.

    The slowdown in China’s economic growth and talk of a possible global recession are high on the agenda of policy-makers as they navigate dramatic geopolitical shifts. Meanwhile, in stark contrast to slowing global growth, the digital revolution is accelerating across Asia, with innovations in FinTech and e-commerce transforming the business and regulatory environments and challenging existing business models.

    An iconic venue 

    The Asia House Future of Trade conference takes place at the iconic Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which recently made a $US37billion bid for its London counterpart – a move which reflects the dynamic and uncertain nature of global trade and finance today.

    Leading global figures

    Asia House is convening senior leaders from business and policy to examine the key issues and share forward-looking analysis on their likely impact on the future of trade.

    In a major keynote speech, Lord Stephen Green, Chairman of Asia House and former Chairman of HSBC, will explore the economic and geopolitical shifts taking place across Asia today, and how they will reshape and refocus the future global order.

    “Asia House will bring together global thought leaders to assess what lies ahead for trade in the midst of unprecedented shifts in the global order,” Lord Green said. “It builds on Asia House’s previous events in Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore, which provided a platform for debate on some of the most pressing issues of our time.

    “We believe this is an important moment to be holding such a dialogue in Hong Kong, and we look forward to engaging with the business community to explore the issues shaping the future of trade.”

    Lord Green will be joined by senior decision makers from business and policy, including former US Deputy Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Holleyman; KPMG’s Head of Infrastructure for Asia Pacific, Julian Vella; the Global China Editor at the Financial Times, James Kynge; the Dean of the Institute of International Relations, Tsinghua University, Yan Xuetong; the former State Secretary at the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy, Anne Ruth Herkes; and the Head of Innovation Lab, HKEX, Lukas Petrikas.

    View all speakers and find out more about the conference here