Hong Kong will serve as the host city for the prestigious 2026 World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit scheduled for April 13-14. The event will concentrate on harnessing digital technologies to stimulate regional economic growth and establish inclusive governance frameworks for cyberspace.
Ren Xianliang, Secretary-General of the WIC, announced during a Beijing press conference that this year’s gathering will emphasize ensuring artificial intelligence benefits are equitably distributed across humanity. Particular attention will be given to amplifying the representation of developing nations within global AI governance structures.
The summit, operating under the theme “Digital Empowerment and Innovative Development: Joining Hands to Build a Community in Cyberspace,” will convene ministerial-level officials, international organization delegates, and executives from leading internet corporations worldwide. A notable first for the conference will be the introduction of ministerial-level discussions alongside six specialized sub-forums addressing intelligent agent innovation, digital finance, AI safety governance, smart public services, digital well-being, and classical text digitization.
This marks the second consecutive year Hong Kong hosts this significant event, following last year’s successful inaugural summit that attracted over 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries.
Sun Dong, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, confirmed the city’s alignment with China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) science and technology innovation strategy. The government will intensify efforts to position AI as a cornerstone industry, advancing both AI industrialization and cross-sector AI integration. Supporting this initiative, the Hong Kong Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Institute is slated to commence operations in the latter half of 2026, facilitating AI project development, research commercialization, and governance framework guidance.