The 2024 edition of the BEYOND International Science and Technology Innovation Expo (BEYOND Expo 2024) commenced in Macau on Wednesday with the aim of showcasing the achievements and advancements in the Asian technology community amidst geopolitical and economic uncertainties, the organiser said.
“We are a region with a huge market size and a lot of opportunities. Technology innovation is happening here faster than ever before,” Jason Ho, co-founder of BEYOND Expo, said at an opening ceremony.
“So companies in Asia deserve to be seen and we hope BEYOND could be the platform for that,” he added.
The opening ceremony of BEYOND Expo 2024, a prominent technology show in the region, attracted hundreds of government representatives, industry leaders, tech enthusiasts, and professionals from around the world.
Distinguished guests included Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng and Edmund Ho Hau Wah, the vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Organised by the Macau Technology General Association and supported by a number of entities, BEYOND Expo 2024 takes place at Venetian Macao from Wednesday until Saturday (25 May). The four-day event marks its fourth edition this year, with the theme ’embracing the uncertainties’.
Unity amidst uncertainties
Addressing the theme of 2024, Jason Ho expressed during the opening ceremony that the world was currently confronting various uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions and an economic downturn.
“We see meaningless sanctions coming out of nowhere that call us to think whether free trade still exists. Should businesses be affected and suffer because of where the companies or the suppliers are originally from?” the co-founder questioned.
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Jason Ho, co-founder of BEYOND Expo
Although he did not mention specific countries or regions, it is likely that Ho was referring to the sanctions imposed by the world’s two largest economies—the United States and China—on each other in recent years, such as the U.S.-China trade war. For example, in May, the U.S. imposed sanctions on more than a dozen companies in mainland China and Hong Kong for their support of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Amidst these uncertainties, Ho proposed unity as the solution. “I think as an entrepreneur, investor or business leader, we often see a lot of uncertainties and most of them are out of our control,” Ho said. “We believe that with the right mindsets, partners, strategies or even platforms like BEYOND, we should be able to embrace these uncertainties together.”
The speakers also addressed the topic of uncertainties. Siddharth Chatterjee, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, emphasised the necessity for the United States and China to collaborate on a wide range of issues, including global climate change. “The community of nations has to come together,” Chatterjee stressed.
Macau as gateway
Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun International, a Chinese conglomerate involved in various sectors, acknowledged the existing geopolitical conflicts during the ceremony on Wednesday. “Only when more Chinese enterprises have operations around the world will China’s economy have a stronger resilience against risks,” he remarked.
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Guo Guangchang, chairman of Fosun International
The businessman also underlined the crucial role of Macau in assisting mainland Chinese firms in expanding their international presence. As an example, he mentioned how Fosun International acquired a controlling stake in Portuguese insurer Fidelidade after learning about the insurer and the related opportunity at a business meeting in Macau in 2014.
“While Macau may not be a large market, it serves as a crucial gateway for China, connecting the Portuguese-speaking and Spanish-speaking regions,” Guo continued. “Therefore, I believe it is important for us to continue receiving support from Macau during the internationalisation of our business.”
According to the organiser, BEYOND Expo 2024 will host over 1,000 exhibitors, including Fortune 500 companies from Asia, multinational corporations, unicorn companies, and startups, within an exhibition space spanning over 100,000 square metres.
Over the next three days, nearly 100 panel sessions, business matching sessions, and other activities will take place, featuring more than 250 industry leaders and professionals as speakers.
The event will include three main summits focusing on healthcare, consumer tech, and climate tech, as well as other panels such as the Global Investment Summit, the Wealth Summit, the SheTech Summit, the Asia-Latam Tech Forum, and the Japan Tech Forum.
At the Wednesday opening ceremony, top executives from Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) and technology firms highlighted the “narrowing gap” in AI development between the U.S. and China. Xu Bing, co-founder of SenseTime, added, “We can also work together with teams in Hong Kong and Macau for more projects.”
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Xu Bing, co-founder of SenseTime
Established in Macau in 2021, BEYOND Expo aims to become Asia’s leading annual technology event, fostering innovation upgrades across diverse industries and regions. The past three editions of the event featured more than 1,400 exhibitors, over 600 speakers, and a minimum of 500 activities and matching sessions.
