The 21st Eco Expo Asia 2026 opened on 26 October at AsiaWorld-Expo, bringing together more than 340 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions under the theme 'Connecting the World for a Sustainable Future'. Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the four-day event signals Hong Kong's ambition to serve as a regional green technology and trade platform.
The significance of this year's Expo lies in its alignment with new policy directions. HKTDC Executive Director Sophia Chong noted that Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan and the latest Policy Address both call for building a green and liveable city, injecting fresh momentum into the green sector. Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology, added that the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan and the HKSAR's own Five-Year Plan position green transformation as a key direction, with Hong Kong continuing to leverage its roles as 'super connector' and 'super value-adder'.
International participation has expanded notably, with Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam joining for the first time. A new ASEAN Pavilion brings together seven ASEAN countries and 12 green technology ventures presenting solutions in water treatment, circular economy, green finance, ESG services and green building. The number of pavilions has risen to 18, including returning overseas pavilions from Canada, Italy, Korea and the Netherlands, alongside first-time participation from Qinghai Province on the Chinese Mainland.
For the first time, a GoGlobal Connect Zone has been established to help Chinese Mainland environmental enterprises reach international markets through Hong Kong's professional services. The Expo also hosts an 'Experience Sharing Forum on Promoting Environmental Business in Overseas Markets', where Hunan exhibitor Lihe Technology shares its story of signing a memorandum of understanding with a Kazakhstan delegation at last year's Expo. A dedicated 'GoGlobal Seminar' on 27 October will examine how Hong Kong can integrate green finance, cross-border infrastructure expertise, certification standards and industrial park partnerships to accelerate Mainland green enterprises into ASEAN markets.
The Expo's four thematic areas—'Green Energy in Motion', 'Frontier Green Tech', 'Building for a Greener City' and 'From Waste to Worth'—reflect the latest decarbonisation policies. Debuting exhibitor EcoCeres Limited, the world's second largest sustainable aviation fuel producer, showcases SAF and hydrotreated vegetable oil produced from waste feedstocks. About 30 start-ups and university spin-offs feature under 'Frontier Green Tech', including the Chinese University of Hong Kong's high-strength bacterial cellulose films upcycled from tea waste and Lingnan University's AIoT-GeoAI fleet management system.
More than 80 government, industry and academic leaders will speak across over 30 forums and thematic sessions. The flagship Eco Asia Conference includes a session featuring Professor Su Hui of HKUST, who led development of the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory installed on China's Tiangong Space Station this year. The 7th Hydrogen Economy Forum on 28 October will address green fuels and energy storage, while the final day offers free public admission with workshops on extreme heat and climate change.
Full event details and travel information are available on the Eco Expo Asia website, and photos can be downloaded via this link. The HKTDC's wider programme of international exhibitions and conferences continues to support the green sector, with market insights published through its research reports. Messe Frankfurt's sustainability strategy is outlined at www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability.
