The Minister for Digital and Financial Services, Albert Isola, recently participated in the Ministerial Panel at the Hainan Free Trade Zone Global Digital Economic Cooperation Forum, hosted in Haikou, the capital city of Hainan, China.

The Forum was held over December 5th and 6th and was jointly organised by the Hainan Government, the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation (FCSSC), Huobi China along with the Hainan Resort Software Community (RSC). Minister Isola attended at the invitation of Leon Li, Founder of Huobi Group who was also on hand to deliver a keynote speech.

Minister Isola participated in a Governmental panel entitled “International Exchange and Cooperation in Digital Economy” which was moderated by Xiaoping Wu, Chairman of the Board of China Invest. The panel also included senior representatives from Bahrain, Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan.

The distinguished panellists discussed a number of topics, including the significance of the digital economy to their respective country’s economic development. The panel also provided an opportunity for Minister Isola to share insights on policies relating to digital economy cooperation in Gibraltar. Following the panel Minister Isola joined fellow international representatives and officials from formal bodies in the signing ceremony bringing into effect the “International Cooperation Forum on Blockchain and Digital Finance”.

Minister Isola also held private meetings with Country Representatives and prospective firms as well as with Professor Jianpeng Deng of Central University of Finance and Economics in Beijing. Professor Jianpeng, who has published a book in China exploring Gibraltar’s DLT Regulatory Framework, presented a personalised copy of the book to Minister Isola at the conclusion of the meeting.

Minister Isola was accompanied on this visit by Gibraltar Finance Senior Executives Michael Ashton and Paul Astengo, who also attended several other meetings geared towards the development of new commercial initiatives.