Michael Wong Wai‑lun, Deputy Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, stated at the summit that drawing on its strengths in standard‑setting and research & development, Hong Kong will promote the harmonisation of common standards and support the commercialisation of low‑altitude‑economy applications. To date, more than 140 projects have obtained approval under Hong Kong’s low‑altitude economy regulatory sandbox programme, covering scenarios including delivery, infrastructure inspection and material lifting. Another 33 projects have been selected for the Sandbox X initiative, which caters to more advanced and sophisticated trials. Wong pointed out that challenges Hong Kong is addressing locally — such as safety standards, airspace coordination and infrastructure support — are shared by many Belt and Road partners.

During the summit, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exchange ceremony for low‑altitude‑economy cooperation was held between Hong Kong and Nansha District, Guangzhou. Elizabeth Quat Pei‑fan, Member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, representatives of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and Tan Gangyi, Head of the Low‑Altitude Economy Institute at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, attended the ceremony. The MoU seeks to advance cross‑boundary testing, regulatory coordination and alignment of technical standards. Laurence Cheung Chi‑chong, Chief Technology Officer of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, remarked that Hong Kong is taking the lead in multiple areas and is well‑positioned to deliver services for Belt and Road countries developing their low‑altitude economies.

Industry experts noted that international coordination on standards grows increasingly critical as the sector evolves from small‑size drones toward larger electric vertical take‑off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Government and academic representatives from the Macau University of Science and Technology, Dresden University of Technology in Germany, Kazakhstan and Brazil exchanged views on cross‑border mutual recognition of standards, data sharing and safety‑certification cooperation. They expect Hong Kong to act as a two‑way bridge linking technologies to real‑world applications.

“Safety and regulations are the cornerstones for the development of the low‑altitude economy,” said Rainer Hoffmann, COO of Digauto. He also highlighted that international cooperation on regulation and rule‑making is vital for industry growth, positioning Hong Kong as a strategic platform for communication, collaboration and coordination. Digauto has long specialised in VTEHIL (Vehicle‑Traffic‑Environment Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop) testing for autonomous driving. SOTIF (Safety Of The Intended Functionality) addresses risks where systems remain functional yet deliver inadequate performance under specific operating conditions. Such risks require scenario reconstruction and full‑vehicle integrated‑response verification within controlled environments — a logic highly consistent with hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing.

Shanghai Digauto Automobile Technology Co., Ltd. delivers cutting‑edge professional testing technologies and safety solutions for intelligent‑driving vehicles. Equipped with VTEHIL full‑vehicle hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing capabilities, the company supplies full‑vehicle‑level intelligent‑driving laboratories and equipment for leading industry players to simulate complex weather and traffic conditions. Operating two test grounds in Wuzhen and Yancheng, Digauto provides intelligent‑driving safety testing engineering services spanning autonomy levels L2 to L5. Its newly‑established Hong Kong representative office facilitates sci‑tech innovation cooperation within the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area and across international markets.

Source: China Daily Hong Kong, 10 September 2026

https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/639379

"Belt and Road framework seen accelerating low-altitude standards cooperation"