Key political and business leaders from Hong Kong, Mainland and overseas will attend the forum on 21 July at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel.

Hong Kong will be the host of a high-level finance forum as an official HKSAR programme for Expo 2010 Shanghai.

The Finance Forum – "Stronger Links, Strong Markets: Hong Kong, the Mainland and the World" is being organised by the HKSAR Government's Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, Invest Hong Kong and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx).

The Forum participants will discuss the important issues related to the nation's ongoing opening up, continuing development and internationalisation of its financial markets.

Speakers will include key political and business leaders from the Mainland, Hong Kong and overseas, as well as senior representatives of major international financial institutions.

The one-day forum will provide participants with the latest government thinking and market views on developing stronger links and stronger markets between Hong Kong, the Mainland and the rest of the world.

The Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, will deliver the opening address while Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan, will deliver the closing remarks for the forum. HKEx Chairman Ronald Arculli will give a keynote address.

Other keynote speakers include Shanghai Vice Mayor Tu Guangshao, China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) Director General for International Affairs Tong Daochi, and former UK Minister for Trade, Investment and Small Business and former Standard Chartered chairman Mervyn Davies.

"This is the first, large-scale finance forum organised by the HKSAR in the Mainland and we hope it will lead to greater co-operation with Shanghai, especially in the light of recent moves to expand the scope of renminbi business," said Mr Tsang.

"Hong Kong and Shanghai both have important roles to play in the continued opening up, reform and continuing development of our nation's financial markets, which hold great promise. The Expo provides an ideal opportunity for us to discuss important national and international financial issues and, of course, how we see the world developing in the aftermath of the global financial crisis,” said Mr Tsang.

HKEx Chairman Ronald Arculli said the rise of China was transforming the international financial landscape, which brought opportunities and challenges to Hong Kong, the Mainland and the rest of the world.

"The Finance Forum can help turn such opportunities and challenges to benefit not just China's overall economic development but also the country's contribution to the global economy," said Mr Arculli.