HONG KONG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Digital Economy Summit 2024 opened on Friday in Hong Kong, giving voice to global business leaders, technology visionaries and policymakers on leveraging technology to reshape the digital economy and secure a sustainable future.

"The digital economy has clearly emerged as a new driving force for global economic development. Our country is a leader in this respect," Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government Paul Chan said while addressing the opening ceremony.

Chan said the HKSAR government's Digital Economy Development Committee he chairs has put forward a set of 12 core recommendations for Hong Kong to advance and prevail in the era of the digital economy.

These recommendations, some already being implemented and some in the pipeline, aim at strengthening the overall digital policy of Hong Kong, strengthening digital infrastructure, facilitating local and cross-boundary data flow, expediting digital transformation, and developing a sustainable talent strategy, Chan said.

"Achieving sustainable future requires maintaining a balance between using technology in an intelligent way, while at the same time maximizing long-term value by using technology in a safe and responsible way," said Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry of the HKSAR government, adding that Hong Kong will make continuous efforts to forge a sustainable future.

The two-day summit was jointly organized by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the HKSAR government, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer of the HKSAR government and Hong Kong Cyberport. ■