International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2026 Kicks Off in Hong Kong, Promoting Clean Energy and Collaboration

2026-05-18 17:10 Last Updated At：17:18

International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2026 opens

The opening ceremony of the International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2026, organised by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and co-organised by the China Hydrogen Alliance, was held today (May 18) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), kicking off a series of activities for Hydrogen Week. The diversified programme includes thematic forums, an industry exhibition, public education activities and technical visits, offering an interactive exchange platform for the trade, and integrating policy, technology, finance and education elements to fully demonstrate Hong Kong's distinctive role and position in aligning with the national hydrogen strategy under the 15th Five-Year Plan.

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International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2026 opens Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2026 opens Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The opening ceremony was officiated by the Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong; the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying; the Chief Engineer of the National Energy Administration, Mr Liu Deshun; the Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Department (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office) of the State Administration for Market Regulation, Mr Zhu Zhongliang; the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Ye Shuiqiu; the Second-level Inspector of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, Mr Xia Fangming; and the Secretary-General of the China Hydrogen Alliance, Mr Liu Wei.

Delivering a welcoming speech at the symposium, Miss Wong stated that under the country's "dual carbon" goals, Hong Kong is striving to halve its carbon emissions from the 2005 level by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Hydrogen development helps drive the clean energy transition and plays a key role in achieving carbon neutrality, bringing with it opportunities. Hong Kong will continue to serve as a demonstration base for hydrogen technologies, and provide green financing and professional services to facilitate the export of innovations developed in the country and scale up relevant hydrogen initiatives globally.

In his speech, Mr Poon said that Hong Kong enjoys unique advantages of connecting with the Mainland and the world. It will play a role in regulatory alignment by establishing standards and certification systems to connect domestic and international markets. At the same time, as an international financial centre, Hong Kong can establish smooth financing channels for green capital and the hydrogen industry, and help build a global hub for hydrogen exchanges and co-operation. He thanked over 120 speakers from 16 countries for their contributions, and encouraged participants to learn about the latest hydrogen developments through the industry exhibition.

During the symposium, the EMSD signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation. The MOUs aim to promote the development of hydrogen ecosystems and enhance technical co-operation in gas safety between the two places. In addition, 10 enterprises from the Mainland, Hong Kong and the Republic of Korea also signed an MOU to collaborate on hydrogen business development in Hong Kong, fostering regional integration of the hydrogen supply chain and demonstrating a commitment to decarbonisation.

The three-day symposium, running from today until May 20 at the HKCEC, brings together representatives from government departments, the industry and academia from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas. It provides an exchange platform for the latest technological developments, engineering solutions and future trends. The symposium aims to promote global co-operation and innovation in the hydrogen industry. An exhibition area of nearly 4 000 square metres is also set up to enable participating enterprises to showcase their hydrogen products and market solutions.

For public education, various science education activities and competitions will be held during Hydrogen Week to deepen students' understanding of carbon neutrality and hydrogen technology in an entertaining yet educational way. Key events include the "HydroRace Challenge 2026", in which students can incorporate AI and coding elements into assemblies and racing, learning the principles of hydrogen applications through hands-on experience. Students from the Mainland are also invited to Hong Kong to compete alongside local youths, promoting interactions and inspiration on green technologies between the two places. Moreover the "H2Future for Good Challenge" encourages secondary school students to propose innovative solutions on topics related to hydrogen and low-carbon living, using STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) knowledge. The Net Zero Youth Forum will connect young engineering talents from Hong Kong and around the globe to explore practical pathways for Hong Kong to serve as a regional energy transition hub and further deepen cross-regional exchanges.

Following the symposium, the EMSD will lead technical visits to the Yangtze River Delta region from May 21 to 23, including visits to national testing bases, key laboratories and major hydrogen enterprises, to develop on-the-ground understandings of hydrogen application outcomes in various scenarios.

For more details on Hydrogen Week and the symposium, please visit the event website at h2symposium.com.

Government Reappoints Lisa Chen, Appoints Elisa Ng to Securities and Futures Commission Leadership Roles

Appointment of Executive Directors to SFC

The Government announced today (May 18) that the Financial Secretary, under the authority delegated by the Chief Executive pursuant to the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571), has reappointed Ms Lisa Chen Ping as the Executive Director (Legal Services) of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), and appointed Ms Elisa Ng Ka-li as Executive Director (Investment Products) of the SFC for a term of three years, starting from May 22, 2026, and from June 8, 2026, respectively.

A spokesman for the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau said, "Ms Chen and Ms Ng have in-depth knowledge of the operation and regulation of the securities and futures markets in Hong Kong. We are confident that they will contribute towards the effective performance of the SFC's statutory functions to foster the development and regulation of the markets."

Ms Chen was appointed as the Executive Director (Legal Services) of the SFC in 2023. She assumes management responsibility for the Legal Services Division.

Ms Ng has extensive experience in the financial services industry and held senior executive positions in respect of asset management and the funds business. Ms Ng was selected through an open recruitment exercise led by a selection panel chaired by the Chairman of the SFC.

International Hydrogen Development Symposium 2026 Kicks Off in Hong Kong, Promoting Clean Energy and Collaboration

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