The chairman of the Financial Services Development Council, Laurence Li, said the Belt and Road Initiative has always provided great opportunities for Hong Kong, and the SAR will play an even more important role in the future.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Belt and Road CEO Conference in Beijing, Li said state leaders have pointed out that the focus of the initiative will gradually shift from hardware to software; and from infrastructure construction to trade and investment – areas which Hong Kong specialises in.

He added that he believes Hong Kong can benefit from the agreements and contracts signed at the CEO Conference.

"Certainly more than a fraction of them will require financing and other servicing out of Hong Kong... I'm certain that there will be a lot of opportunities to be presented to Hong Kong," he said, adding that the SAR must continue to work on building up its international experience.

Regarding the complicated geopolitical and economic situation, Li said he believes these are a part of the changing world environment and will not have a direct impact on Hong Kong.

Nonetheless, he said these changes highlight the importance of building a stronger and more diverse network among countries and regions. This will result in more opportunities for Hong Kong, he said.