
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po points to the city's unique position to capitalise on international capital flows and the AI boom.
Hong Kong's finance chief Paul Chan Mo-po expressed optimism regarding the city's economic growth, outpacing IMF global projections, driven by capital flows and the AI boom.
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Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po attended the IMF and World Bank Group's annual meetings in Bangkok.
Hong Kong is more “optimistic” about its economic growth this year than the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is about the global outlook, the finance chief has said, pointing to the city’s unique position to capitalise on international capital flows and the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.
Writing on his blog on Sunday after attending the IMF and World Bank Group’s annual meetings in Bangkok, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said world leaders’ discussions had been dominated by two forces: the rapid disruption driven by AI and energy price surges stemming from conflicts in the Middle East.
He noted that while the IMF expected global growth to slow from 3.5 per cent last year to 3.1 per cent this year, Asia’s economy would continue to expand at a faster pace.
The IMF recently upgraded its 2026 real GDP growth forecast for Hong Kong to 3.8 per cent, while the local government maintained its full-year forecast at 3.5 to 4.5 per cent.

On October 18, with the smooth landing of the Changlong Airlines flight, the annual passenger throughput of Zhejiang Jiaxing Nanhu Airport exceeded one million, ranking among the million-level civil aviation airports in the country. This marks that Jiaxing has achieved remarkable results in its deep integration into the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta and the construction of a modern comprehensive transportation system.

Chen Yunwu, Deputy Commissioner of Haikou Customs, said at the "Vibrant China Research Tour" Hainan-themed interview event that Haikou Customs has adopted the three-word formula of "new, efficient and safe" since the island's customs closure, and has made every effort to ensure the high-level opening and high-quality development of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

The 2026 China Jingdezhen International Ceramics Expo opened in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi on the 18th, attracting more than 2,500 guests and more than 450 companies from more than 90 countries and regions around the world, focusing on ceramic cultural inheritance, industrial innovation and international cooperation.

This year is the first year for the island-wide customs sealing operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port. In the first three quarters, Hainan's economy showed a trend of "new momentum, improved structure, and solid foundation." GDP growth turned positive in September after bottoming out in July, and various major economic indicators steadily rebounded.

China's low-price products have directly swept the Southeast Asian market through e-commerce platforms. Local merchants from Indonesia to Thailand and other places are facing unprecedented price competition pressure. The original suppliers have quietly turned into direct competitors, compressing the profit margins of small and medium-sized enterprises.

The 2026 China Jingdezhen International Ceramics Expo opened in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi on the 18th. The exhibition attracted more than 2,500 guests from more than 90 countries and regions around the world, with an exhibition area of 140,000 square meters, covering a number of industrial and cultural exchange activities.