The sixth Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH), jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and the 17th Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair (Medical Fair), organised by the HKTDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong MedTech Association, have concluded successfully.
As one of the two flagship events of International Healthcare Week, the ASGH gathered some 3,000 participants from 43 countries and regions and arranged over 400 one-on-one deal-making meetings, while also facilitating the signing of multiple cooperation agreements, with a strong focus on the application of artificial intelligence.
Meanwhile, the Medical Fair welcomed some 13,000 buyers from 61 countries and regions for sourcing and networking. More than 670 business matching meetings were arranged during the fair, supporting buyers and exhibitors in identifying potential partners and advancing concrete business discussions. Together, the two flagship events facilitated over 1,000 high-quality collaborations and connections, fully demonstrating the synergy between medical technology, investment and industry applications.
Over 90 global leaders share insight into healthcare innovation development and AI applications
The sixth ASGH, a two-day event jointly organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the HKTDC, concluded under the theme “Fuelling Healthcare Breakthroughs”, focusing on public health, frontier healthcare technologies, AI breakthroughs, healthcare investment and silver health.
The ASGH brought together over 90 international healthcare officials, scientific pioneers, Nobel laureates, investors and corporate leaders to share insights and explore pathways to accelerate innovation across the global healthcare ecosystem.
At Plenary Session I – “Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness through Global Collaboration”, Prof Ibrahim Abubakar, Vice-Provost (Health) and Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at University College London, said:
“Research platforms need to be developed long in advance of pandemics, and we must invest in infectious disease infrastructure, and beyond, whether it’s in AI technology or in disease management.”
Plenary Session II – “Fuelling Healthcare Breakthroughs” centred on the commercialisation of medical research, biomedical innovation and healthcare investment opportunities. Jonathan Symonds, Chair of GSK, said:
“All developed countries are now facing ageing, low birth rates and an increasing impact of chronic disease. So, it's no longer just a health system problem, but it's now an economic problem.”
During the “Dialogue with Global Pioneer in Health” session, Prof Michael Levitt, 2013 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Robert W and Vivian K Cahill Professor of Cancer Research at the Stanford University School of Medicine, said Hong Kong’s healthcare system possesses unique advantages and high-quality statistical data, making it potentially more valuable for research than the US and other countries or regions in areas such as longevity.
The ASGH also featured multiple thematic sessions spotlighting the application of AI in healthcare. During the session “Transforming Healthcare through Digital Health & AI Innovations”, Natasha Chhatrapati, Senior Director, Business Transformation Lead for International at Pfizer Inc., said:
“AI is compressing timelines across the entire healthcare journey, from drug development and clinical research to how we engage with physicians and how patients consume care.”
In the session “The Next Frontier in China’s Healthcare Industry”, Dr James Xue, Founder, Chairman and CEO of CANbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc., said:
“China has an edge because of the population. A bigger population base will allow companies to build better drug candidates.”
The Silver Health Chapter included the session “Unlocking Growth in Silver Health: From Precision Medicine to Smart Ageing Innovations”, which examined opportunities surrounding ageing populations and smart healthcare technologies. Dr Alex Mihailidis, Associate Vice-President, International Partnerships and Professor at the University of Toronto and Scientific Director at AGE-WELL, said:
“For a technology to be successful with older people, it’s not just the technology, but also the service delivery model, as well as the practice and policy.”
Another newly introduced session, “CSO Insights: Catalysing Scientific Breakthroughs and Investments for Future Health”, featured discussions on accelerating scientific discoveries into practical healthcare applications. Dr Li Xiang, Senior Vice President, Co-President and Chief Scientific Officer, Innovative Medicines Division at Fosun Pharma, said:
“In our business, it is very important to begin with the end in mind. When you set out to do your discovery program, you must already know what the unmet needs are and how difficult the clinical trials will be.”
Over 400 deal-making sessions drive investment and business matching
Beyond thought leadership, the ASGH continued to serve as a platform for investment and collaboration. Over 400 business and investment matching meetings were arranged during the summit, attracting healthcare enterprises and investment institutions from Europe, the US, Asia and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The summit also featured the ASGH Business Hub and the InnoHealth Showcase, bringing together some 180 healthcare innovation companies from 12 countries and regions to present developments across biotechnology, digital health and medical technologies.
Several exhibitors highlighted Hong Kong’s role as a strategic gateway for global expansion and cross-border healthcare collaboration. Startups and healthcare companies from the UK, Finland, Australia and Hong Kong pointed to opportunities in investment, research collaboration, regulatory support and access to regional markets.
Building bridges for “go global” healthcare collaborations
The ASGH facilitated the signing of 10 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), including agreements involving HKSH Medical Group, Siemens Healthineers, Heidi Health, EC Healthcare and Hong Kong Metropolitan University. The partnerships focused on areas such as AI-enabled healthcare applications, clinical research and advanced imaging technologies.
The summit also featured the “GoGlobal CONNECT” initiative and the Business of Healthcare Advisory Zone, enabling healthcare enterprises to engage with professional service providers and explore international expansion strategies.
During the summit, the HKTDC also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Singapore Business Association (HSBA), aimed at supporting Mainland enterprises seeking expansion into Singapore and ASEAN markets through Hong Kong.
Medical Fair showcases AI, smart healthcare and global collaboration
Held concurrently with the ASGH, the Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair adopted the theme “Innovations Boosting Smart Health Experience”, focusing on MedTech, GeronTech and preventive healthcare.
The Medical Fair featured around 300 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions and highlighted developments in AI-enabled healthcare, robotics, laboratory technologies, diagnostics, rehabilitation solutions and digital health platforms.
Exhibitors reported growing interest in AI-powered healthcare applications and smart medical technologies. Several companies also secured cross-border partnerships and business opportunities during the exhibition, including collaborations involving Southeast Asian healthcare providers and distributors.
The fair hosted more than 50 themed forums and seminars covering topics such as AI-driven mental health innovation, medtech expansion opportunities in the Greater Bay Area, ASEAN market access and gerontechnology.
The exhibition continued to adopt the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, enabling exhibitors and buyers to connect through both physical and digital channels via Click2Match and HKTDC Sourcing platforms.
