The 2025 Global Supply Chains & Logistics Summit successfully held in Hong Kong
On November 5, 2025 –The “2025 Global Supply Chains & Logistics Summit,” hosted by the Asian Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics (AISCL) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, successfully held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Under the theme “Supply Chains Restructuring—Impact of Al and RWA” brought together authoritative experts and industry leaders from academia, business, and government to discuss the challenges facing global supply chains and innovative solutions.
Government Commitment to Advancing Hong Kong as a Global Logistics Hub: Opening Remarks by Mr. Liu Chun-san
At the beginning of the summit, Mr. Liu Chun-san, Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, delivered opening remarks. In his speech, he affirmed the significant role of the summit in promoting the construction of Hong Kong’s international logistics hub, stating that the Government will continue to support supply chains innovation and cross-sector cooperation. He emphasized the important role of the Asian Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics of The Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong’s logistics research, including proposing the eight strategies and the 24 action measures in the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development. He also mentioned that the Port Community System, developed and operated by the Government, would be launched early next year and would provide real-time cargo track-and-trace function and a variety of value-added services, which would help to enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international maritime centre and international logistics hub.
Mr Liu further pointed out that the connection of logistics data between Hong Kong and the Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was crucial and revealed that a Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with Guangdong e-Port Management Company Limited to promote the interconnectivity of logistics data between the two places, thereby enhancing the efficiency of trade and logistics.
Professor Zhou Lin, Dean of the CUHK Business School, then stated in his welcome remarks that the global supply chains currently faces multiple challenges, such as interrupted trade routes, demand fluctuations, and geopolitical uncertainties. Therefore, building a smarter, more resilient, and transparent future supply chains has become a top priority. CUHK Business School not only conducts theoretical research but also actively carries out applied research to support government planning and industry development. Professor Zhou emphasized that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Real-World Assets (RWA) play a key role in this transformation. AI helps enterprises anticipate disruptions and develop response strategies, while RWA tokenization enhances transparency and liquidity, establishing a new foundation for trust and efficiency.
Professor Cheung Wai-man, Director of the Asian Institute of Supply Chains & Logistics, warmly welcomes the guests and attendees of the summit. Professor Cheung pointed out that global supply chains are currently undergoing the most profound transformation since the Industrial Revolution. Professor Cheung further emphasized that against the dual backdrop of geopolitical restructuring and the rise of the digital economy, Chinese enterprises should leverage their advantages in digital infrastructure, platform economy, and industrial ecosystems to build globally competitive firms.
Academic Insights – Analyzing the Global Supply Chains Landscape and Proposing Tech-Driven Solutions
Professor Wu Jing, Professor of the Business School and Associate Director of the Asian Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics (AISCL) at CUHK, delivered a keynote speech titled “The Impact of Al and RWA”. He pointed out that the global supply chains has moved from the “era of passive adjustment” to the “era of high volatility” and proposed a resilient supply chains solution centered on “big data + AI”. Faced with multiple challenges such as geopolitical conflicts, carbon tariff barriers, and regional restructuring, Professor Wu emphasized that traditional supply chains models urgently need to achieve dynamic optimization through technological empowerment.
As a highlight of the summit, the GlobalChain.AI large model developed by Professor Wu’s team has for the first time enabled the leap of supply chains decision-making from “post-event reports” to “real-time simulation”. By integrating multi-dimensional data such as customs, logistics, and market data in real time, the system can achieve minute-level response to sudden risks and generate alternative routes and inventory strategies. Professor Wu further proposed that stablecoins and RWA tokenization have the potential to restructure the supply chains finance system and become the “digital blood” for cross-border payments. He revealed that the institute is collaborating with the industry to formulate a white paper on RWA applications, aiming to help Hong Kong consolidate its position as a global trade center. Meanwhile, the released China Going Global Index (CGGI) – 2025 pointed out that the key to successful global expansion has shifted from “capacity relocation” to “AI-driven global capability allocation”. The AISCL will simultaneously open the GlobalChain.AI trial system and RWA white paper channel to promote the rapid transformation of academic achievements into industrial solutions. He also called on participants to work together to build a future AI-driven supply chains.
Subsequently, Professor Tang Hei-wai, Associate Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong, conducted an in-depth analysis of Hong Kong’s unique opportunities amid the new pattern of the global supply chains. Professor Tang emphasized that the China-US trade war during the Trump-Biden era had a significant impact on enterprises, prompting a shift in China’s trade pattern—ASEAN has become China’s largest export destination. Professor Tang stated that during the critical period of global supply chains restructuring, Hong Kong needs to seize the opportunity of regional economic integration and fully leverage its unique advantages in connecting the global and mainland markets. He called on Hong Kong to focus on its comparative advantages, such as higher education, financial services, and professional services, to promote effective integration with other cities in the Greater Bay Area.
Professor Qiao Xiao from City University of Hong Kong presented a report titled “Global Asset Markets: Trends and Opportunities” at the summit. He pointed out that the globalization trend of the past 60 years is gradually reversing, with trade wars and shrinking capital flows affecting global trade. Professor Qiao emphasized that, under the new situation, investors’ asset allocation will be influenced by global supply chains reorganization and the high correlation among global stock markets is weakening, making regional investments more attractive.
During the lunch meeting, Professor Ming Liu from School of Economics and Management, CUHK (Shenzhen), who is also the Chief Scientist at Yunji Tech delivered the keynote speech on “New Paradigm of Global Trade: Systematic Restructuring of Supply Chains Finance”. He directly addressed the core issue of a US$2.5 trillion financing gap faced by SMEs globally, pinpointing the “trust vacuum” as the crux. He proposed an innovative solution: by integrating IoT, AI, and Blockchain technologies, RWA tokenization can evolve from the 1.0 stage of “static asset on-chain” to the 2.0 stage of “dynamic process on-chain.” Professor Ming explained that the core of this new model is generating “verifiable process credentials,” enabling the value creation at each step of the supply chains to be verified in real-time and serve as the basis for financing. He concluded that the most valuable asset in the future will be reputation verifiable by AI; Blockchain doesn’t produce trust but produces scalable consensus.
Industry Practices: Sharing Cutting-Edge Tech Applications and Wisdom on Global Expansion
Multiple representatives from leading global companies and industry research experts also shared insightful frontline case studies.
Mr. Penny Chang, Technical Specialist for Business Applications at Microsoft, discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming supply chains management and delivering significant value—particularly in transportation and logistics. Microsoft is committed to applying AI technology to real-world business scenarios, helping organizations address challenges such as skill shortages and resource constraints. Mr. Chang highlighted that AI will redefine customer engagement, enhance experiences, and drive operational efficiency. Using customer support as an example, he demonstrated how AI can respond quickly to customer needs and improve service quality. He added: “Digital labor will be the cornerstone of enterprise success in the coming decade, enabling organizations to operate faster, smarter, and without limits. It enhances employee and customer experiences while reshaping business processes for greater efficiency. Organizations should start preparing now to embrace this transformation and secure their future.”
Dr.Tang Ya, economist and founder of the Xiangshuai Digital Economy Studio, systematically elaborated on the new paradigm of Chinese corporate globalization in her speech titled “Going Global 2.0: Chinese Digital Capabilities and the Rise of the Super Supply Chains.” She pointed out that Chinese enterprises have moved from the “Going Global 1.0” phase, characterized mainly by OEM manufacturing, to the “Going Global 2.0” phase driven by both the positioning power of the ‘super supply chains’ and digital capabilities. Dr. Tang emphasized that the formation of China’s “super supply chains” benefited from three pillars: favorable timing (the wave of globalization), geographical advantage (a mega-scale market), and human factors (entrepreneurial resilience). Through examples like the “full hosting model” in cross-border e-commerce and “born global” companies like Anker and Pop Mart, she illustrated that the core of “Going Global 2.0” lies in propelling Chinese enterprises from “manufacturing” to “brand” and “ecosystem.”
Mr. Jian Dan, Investment Director for Asia at Maersk Group, provided an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and pathways for Chinese supply chains expanding into Southeast Asia, drawing a contrast between historical and contemporary perspectives. Using the differences between Zheng He’s voyages and the Western Age of Exploration as an analogy, he pointed out that a sustainable model for global expansion requires commercial benefits as the core driver. Mr. Jian noted that Southeast Asia, with its economic growth potential, demographic dividend, infrastructure upgrades, and the “China+1” strategy window, is becoming a key region for Chinese companies going global. For sustainable development, he advised expanding companies to focus on building localized production systems, strengthening compliance management, and establishing an integrated and open industrial ecosystems.
Mr. Levin Zhao, Deputy General Manager of Neptune Logistics Group, elaborated on the company’s strategic layout and practical achievements in a speech themed “Driving Logistics Transformation through Digitalization and AI”. He pointed out that facing industry challenges like supply chains fragmentation and personalized demand, digital-intelligent transformation has become the core engine for high-quality development in logistics enterprises. Mr. Zhao introduced that Neptune Logistics initiated its digital strategy transformation in 2019 and will continue to use digital-intelligence as a lever, providing global clients with more efficient and transparent end-to-end supply chains services through verifiable process optimization and intelligent upgrades.
The panel discussion “Innovative Investment Practices in the Era of AI and RWA”, which is chaired by Professor Long Zhuoyu, Director of the Centre for Logistics Technologies and Supply Chains Optimization at AISCL, outlined a clear path for supply chains finance innovation. Panelists from the investment, technology, and industrial sectors converged on a core consensus: the deep integration of AI and RWA is driving supply chains finance from a “credit-dependent” model towards a new “asset-driven” paradigm. The discussion affirmed that the core value of RWA lies in overcoming the inherent bottlenecks of traditional supply chains finance. By converting “dormant assets” like equipment usufruct rights and accounts receivable into on-chain tokens, it significantly enhances asset liquidity and financing efficiency. Simultaneously, AI technology plays the role of the “intelligent brain.” From intelligent forecasting and visual recognition in logistics to automated risk control, AI provides robust data support and decision-making optimization for RWA, reconstructing the risk control logic from “judging by face” (entity credit) to “judging by substance” (real asset data).
Roundtable Forum Guests (in order of speaking):
Ms. Janet Liu, Managing Director, Asia Investment Capital
Mr. Jerry Shen, Co-founder of Token Fintech Limited
Ms. Li Muqing, Head of Supply Chains, Majesty Holdings
Ms. Simona Wen, Secretary of the EMBA Web 3.0 Association, CUHK
The Global Supply Chains & Logistics Summit organized by the Asian Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong aims to establish a high-quality platform for exchanging ideas through in-depth dialogue between academia and industry. The attendees generally believe that facing an uncertain global environment, guiding with cutting-edge academic theory and combining it with innovative industrial practices to jointly build smarter and more resilient supply chains has become an irreversible trend. The successful hosting of this summit will undoubtedly inject new momentum into the development of the supply chains and logistics fields, and open a new chapter of cooperation and win-win results!
