Aswin Techajareonvikul, chief executive and president of Berli Jucker Plc (BJC), represented Southeast Asia as a business leader at the 7th Belt and Road Summit.
He was invited by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Trade Secretary Edward Lau to speak at the event under the theme "Collaborate for a Bright New Era".
Mr Aswin began his remarks by emphasising Chinese President Xi Jinping's goals for the Belt and Road initiative.
He also touched on the people-to-people connectivity that can build a new platform for international cooperation, in order to create new drivers of shared development.
In addition, Mr Aswin said the One Belt, One Road policy is popular in Thailand as it is in line with Thailand's 20-year strategy and the Thailand 4.0 industry policy, including projects in the Eastern Economic Corridor.
He said Thailand sees huge opportunities in trade and investment with neighbouring countries using the Belt and Road link to global markets, especially the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam markets.
As for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Thailand became a signatory to on Jan 1, more raw materials and intermediate products manufactured in RCEP locations will be able to move freely between upstream and downstream participants in the supply chain without trade barriers, as 90% of all goods are set to have zero import tariffs in 20 years, said Mr Aswin.
He said RCEP provides perfect synergy with the One Belt, One Road Initiative.
Mr Aswin emphasised Thailand's commerce minister fully supports One Belt, One Road policy, along with RCEP benefits.
Other panellists included Rod Eddington, chairman of Infrastructure Partnership Australia; John Key, the former prime minister of New Zealand; Liu Liange, chairman of the Bank of China; YK Pang, deputy managing director and chairman of Hong Kong Jardine Matheson Holdings; and JP Morgan's Asia Pacific Advisory Council.
The plenary session was officiated by Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po.
