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The discussions according to the Hong Kong government’s Information Services Department included a meeting between Al-Swaha and Professor Sun Dong the Secretary for Innovation Technology and Industry. The two officials reviewed prospects for joint work in artificial intelligence and the development of innovation ecosystems that link the Middle East with Asian technology networks. Saudi Arabia has positioned itself as a global hub connecting AI capabilities between East and West a Saudi Press Agency summary of Al-Swaha’s remarks stated.
Al-Swaha also conferred with Cordelia Chung chairperson of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation on initiatives to support startups and create talent pathways in emerging technology sectors. The Hong Kong authorities reported that these exchanges focused on empowering national innovation programs through shared expertise and collaborative programs. Such engagements build on the corporation’s established role in fostering technology incubation across the region.
Separate talks with Dr Xu Li executive chairman and chief executive officer of SenseTime centered on advanced artificial intelligence applications and their deployment in vital economic sectors. The Saudi minister’s itinerary at the event formed part of a broader international tour aimed at strengthening technology and investment partnerships the Saudi Press Agency detailed ahead of the conference. SenseTime’s capabilities in machine learning and computer vision align with priorities in Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure expansion.
LEAP East 2026 opened on July 8 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and is scheduled to run through July 10 the Hong Kong Information Services Department announced. The gathering has attracted more than 35 000 participants 340 speakers and 450 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions according to official tallies released at the opening ceremony. Financial Secretary Paul Chan and Professor Sun Dong joined Al-Swaha in inaugurating the first international edition of the LEAP platform originally established in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia is developing 6.9 gigawatts of data center capacity by 2034 including 3 gigawatts by 2030 an assessment published by Asharq Al-Awsat indicated. The Kingdom’s flagship LEAP conference has previously generated significant investment pledges with one edition securing commitments exceeding 11 billion dollars on its opening day according to conference organisers. These infrastructure projects underpin the AI-focused partnerships advanced during the Hong Kong meetings.
Hong Kong is pursuing an AI+ strategy as a pillar of its innovation policy integrating artificial intelligence across industries while strengthening ties with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Professor Sun Dong stated in opening remarks carried by the government news service. The approach also leverages the city’s financial markets and venture capital ecosystem to accelerate technology adoption. The convergence of Saudi Arabia’s economic scale with Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s largest financial centre offers a foundation for closing global technology divides the officials noted during their discussions.
