A bird’s-eye view of Hong Kong’s night skyline. Hong Kong remains Chongqing’s largest trading partner in 2025. (Photo/Canva)

Chongqing - On the afternoon of May 21, a special event titled “Chongqing–Hong Kong AI+ Industrial Synergy and Innovation Cooperation” was held in Chongqing during the 8th Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade.

Zhou Hong, Chief Representative of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for Western China, said Hong Kong continues to deepen its engagement with Chongqing because of its strong industrial base and practical application scenarios.

“Chongqing has a highly developed industrial sector, a comprehensive range of industries, a very solid industrial foundation, and abundant application scenarios. Hong Kong should strengthen cooperation with Chongqing in AI,” Zhou said at the event.

As one of China’s major manufacturing hubs, Chongqing has well-established industrial chains in automobiles, equipment manufacturing, and electronic information. In recent years, it has accelerated development in intelligent connected new energy vehicles, industrial internet, and artificial intelligence. 

For Hong Kong, this means research, capital, and international resources can more quickly find pathways for implementation and commercialization.

Zhou noted that AI+ has become a key technological development priority for both China and Hong Kong this year, and Chongqing’s “comprehensive industrial structure” and “deep industrial foundation” make it a key partner for Hong Kong in advancing AI-related cooperation.

Beyond industrial opportunities, Hong Kong also values Chongqing’s connectivity and regional influence.

Chongqing is a key node of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, linking western China with inland markets and ASEAN economies. Meanwhile, Hong Kong, as an international financial, trade, and shipping center, is seeking to serve as a global gateway for Chongqing enterprises expanding overseas.

During the event, Zhou recalled that in 2023, Chongqing and Hong Kong established a high-level cooperation mechanism, while the HKTDC and the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce signed a memorandum of cooperation. 

Since then, both sides have continued to deepen collaboration in trade and investment, technological innovation, film and culture, logistics, finance, legal services, and healthcare, with what he described as “significant progress.”

Hong Kong is also providing more direct support to Chongqing. In trade and commerce, Zhou revealed that over the past three years, the HKTDC has organized more than 40 trade promotion and exchange activities in Chongqing, serving over 2,800 Chongqing enterprises.

From automobiles and robotics to medical devices and specialty food products, many Chongqing companies have used Hong Kong as a springboard to expand overseas orders and access international markets.

In Zhou’s view, Hong Kong’s key future role is to help Chongqing enterprises “go global.” This “globalization platform” goes beyond trade channels, also providing support in capital access, legal services, talent, and international business rules.

Looking ahead, Zhou believes future cooperation should focus more on high-end industries and innovation-driven collaboration.

“We should explore what application scenarios exist and what issues can be jointly studied, so that we can combine the strengths of both places,” he said, expressing hope that the event will further deepen and solidify Chongqing–Hong Kong cooperation.