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The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) hosted the “2025 Global Supply Chain and Logistics Summit”, organised by The Asian Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics (AISCL), on 5 November. With the theme “Supply Chains Restructuring – Impact of Al and RWA”, the event brought together authoritative experts and industry leaders from academia, business and government to discuss the challenges facing global supply chains, and innovative solutions to them.

Mr Liu Chun-san, Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (HKSAR), delivered opening remarks. He affirmed the crucial role of the summit in promoting the growth of Hong Kong as an international logistics hub and the important role of AISCL in Hong Kong logistics research, including the strategies and measures outlined in the Action Plan on Modern Logistics Development. He also mentioned that the connection of logistics data from Hong Kong and the rest of the Guangzhou-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) was crucial in order to enhance the efficiency of trade and logistics.

Professor Zhou Lin, Dean of the CUHK Business School, stated in his welcome remarks that the global supply chain currently faces multiple challenges, such as interrupted trade routes, demand fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainties. Therefore, he added, building a smarter, more resilient and more transparent future supply chain has become a top priority. Professor Zhou emphasised that artificial intelligence and tokenisation of real-world assets (RWA) play a key role in this transformation. AI helps enterprises anticipate disruptions and develop response strategies, while RWA tokenisation enhances transparency and liquidity, establishing a new foundation for trust and efficiency.

Professor Cheung Wai-man, Director of the AISCL, mentioned that global supply chains are currently undergoing their most profound transformation since the industrial revolution, affecting not only technological breakthroughs but also business models, organisational structures and the logic of value creation. Integrating theoretical innovation with industrial practice has become a crucial task, he said, and Chinese enterprises should leverage their advantages in digital infrastructure, the platform economy and industrial ecosystems to build globally competitive firms.

Tech-driven solutions for the global supply chain industry

Professor Wu Jing, Professor from the CUHK Business School and Associate Director of the AISCL at CUHK, delivered a keynote speech, “The Impact of AI and RWA”. He pointed out that the global supply chain has moved from the “era of passive adjustment” to the “era of high volatility” and proposed a resilient supply chain solution based on big data and AI. Faced with multiple challenges such as geopolitical conflicts, carbon tariff barriers and regional restructuring, Professor Wu emphasised, traditional supply chain models urgently need to achieve dynamic optimisation through technological empowerment.

He also showcased the “GlobalChain.AI large model” developed by his team, which enables supply chain decision-making to move for the first time from post-event reports to real-time simulation. By integrating multi-dimensional information such as customs, logistics and market data in real time, the system can achieve minute-level responses to sudden risks and generate alternative routes and inventory strategies. Professor Wu further proposed that stablecoins and RWA tokenisation have the potential to restructure the supply chains finance system and become the “digital blood” for cross-border payments. He revealed that the institute is collaborating with the industry to formulate a white paper on RWA applications, aiming to help Hong Kong consolidate its position as a global trade center. Meanwhile, he added, the China Going Global Index (CGGI) – 2025 pointed out that the key to successful global expansion has shifted from capacity relocation to AI-driven global capability allocation. He said the AISCL will simultaneously launch a trial of its GlobalChain.AI system and RWA tokenisation white paper channel to promote the rapid transformation of academic achievements into industrial solutions.

Subsequently, Professor Tang Hei-wai, Associate Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong, reported on an in-depth analysis he has conducted of Hong Kong’s unique opportunities amid the new alignment of the global supply chain industry. He pointed out that globalisation is taking on a new form, with the growth of digital globalisation and trade in services having become important factors. Professor Tang emphasised that the China-US trade war had a significant impact on enterprises, prompting a shift in China’s trade patterns. Facing the challenges of high discriminatory tariffs and fragmented industrial policies in the Trump 2.0 era, Professor Tang stated that Hong Kong needs to transform from its emphasis on traditional re-export trade to being a “super connector”, particularly by deepening integration with the rest of the GBA.

Professor Qiao Xiao from City University of Hong Kong presented a report, “Global Asset Markets: Trends and Opportunities”. Professor Ming Liu from the School of Economics and Management at CUHK (Shenzhen), who is also the Chief Scientist at Yunji Technology, delivered a keynote speech, “New Paradigm in Global Trade: Systematic Reconstruction of Supply Chain Finance”, during the summit’s luncheon.

Sharing cutting-edge tech applications and wisdom on global expansion

Multiple representatives from leading global companies and industry research experts also shared insightful front-line case studies. Mr Penny Chang, Technical Specialist at Microsoft, discussed the application of AI in supply chain management, pointing out that the technology can add significant value, especially in the transportation and logistics industries. Technology, he commented, will transform how businesses interact with customers, enhance the customer experience and drive operational efficiency.

Dr Tang Ya, economist and founder of the Xiangshuai Digital Economy Studio, delivered a talk, “Going Global 2.0: Chinese Digital Capabilities and the Rise of the Super Supply Chain”, discussing the new paradigm of Chinese corporate globalisation. She mentioned that Chinese enterprises have moved into the Going Global 2.0 phase, driven by both the positioning power of the the nation’s “super supply chain” and its digital capabilities. Dr Tang emphasised that the formation the super supply chain” benefited from three factors: favorable timing (the wave of globalisation), geographical advantage (a mega-scale market) and human factors (entrepreneurial resilience).

Mr Jian Dan, Investment Director for Asia at Maersk Group, provided an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and pathways for Chinese supply chains to expand into Southeast Asia, drawing a contrast between historical and contemporary perspectives. Mr Zhao Levin, Deputy General Manager of Neptune Logistics Group, elaborated on the company’s strategic approach and practical achievements in a speech, “Driving Logistics Transformation through Digitalisation and AI”.

Panel discusses new approaches to investment

During the panel discussion “Innovative Investment Practices in the Era of AI and RWA”, chaired by Professor Long Zhuoyu from AISCL, panelists from the investment, technology and industrial sectors converged on a core consensus: the deep integration of AI and RWA tokenisation is driving supply chain finance from a “credit-dependent” model towards a new “asset-driven” paradigm.The discussion affirmed that the core value of RWA tokenisation lies in overcoming the inherent bottlenecks of traditional supply chain finance. Converting dormant assets like equipment usufruct rights and accounts receivable into on-chain tokens significantly enhances asset liquidity and financing efficiency. AI provides robust data support and decision-making optimisation for RWA tokenisation, reconstructing the risk control logic from “judging by face” (entity credit) to “judging by substance” (real asset data).

Through in-depth dialogue between academia and industry, the summit successfully established a high-quality platform for intellectual exchange. It furthered the aim of combining innovative industrial practices to jointly build smarter and more resilient supply chains, ushering in a new chapter of win-win cooperation.