Tradelink was invited to speak at a thematic panel organised by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) on 20 October 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, held as a key highlight of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting 2026 side seminar.
Titled “Fostering a digitalised, inclusive and sustainable supply chain ecosystem through finance”, the panel discussion was moderated by Mr. Howard Lee, Deputy Chief Executive of the HKMA. The session brought together prominent industry and financial leaders to discuss practical mechanisms for accelerating trade digitalisation and bridging the global trade finance gap for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Representing Tradelink on the panel, Mr. Andrew Cheng, Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer, shared practical industry insights on the importance of data connectivity in supporting trade finance and supply chain digitalisation:
- Empowering Trade Finance through Data Connectivity: Practical platforms such as the HKMA’s Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) demonstrate how consent-based sharing of commercial, compliance, and logistics data empowers financial institutions to assess SME creditworthiness faster and more objectively. Since the CDI’s rollout in 2022, thousands of SMEs have obtained financing through Tradelink’s data sharing via the platform, directly helping close the financing gap. Regionally, Cargox facilitates digital connectivity and trusted document exchange between Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and ASEAN economies, proving that secure data flows substantially reinforce supply chain integration.
- Strengthening Trust and Compliance via Emerging Tools, AI, and Governed Standards: Beyond data exchange, digital signing ensures cross-border legal authenticity, while decentralised IDs (DIDs), verifiable credentials, and secure digital wallets provide SMEs with portable, trusted identities. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) transforms raw trade data into actionable intelligence—such as automated document comparison, explainable HS code classification to streamline customs declarations and trade compliance, and AI-enabled translation bridging cross-border language divides. Crucially, the sustainable adoption of these technologies relies on cross-border governance and standards that safeguard data privacy, security, accountability, and sovereignty, ensuring AI applications remain explainable, auditable, and guided by human oversight.
Tradelink remains committed to working alongside regulatory authorities, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders to advance digital efficiency and foster a secure, inclusive trade finance ecosystem.
