Speech by FS at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Robot Contest 2026 Opening Ceremony (English only)

Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Robot Contest (ABU Robocon) 2026 Opening Ceremony (August 23): Mr Nadeem (Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, Mr Ahmed Nadeem), Cordelia (Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), Ms Cordelia Chung), Angelina (Director of Broadcasting, Ms Angelina Kwan), ABU Robocon contestants, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon. What an exciting moment to be here at ABU Robocon 2026 - and to welcome 16 outstanding teams, from 15 countries and regions. Since the inaugural contest in 2002, ABU Robocon has grown into the largest of its kind in the Asia-Pacific Region. But its real achievement is not scale. It is the generations of young people it has inspired to turn imagination into engineering - and to build careers in innovation and technology. I have seen the robots you brought with you. And I see that familiar look on your faces - the mixture of nerves and excitement that belongs to anyone trying into turn imagination to reality. We are living through an extraordinary period of technological change. Over the past