Hong Kong, 7 September 2026 – H.E. the Governor of Banco Central de Timor-Leste (BCTL) accompanied H.E. Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, Vice Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, and Minister of Tourism and Environment, as part of the Timor-Leste delegation participating in the 2026 DEFA Foresight and Strategic Cooperation Forum.

Organized by the ASEAN Hong Kong Economic and Trade Centre (AHKETC) and opened by ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, the forum brought together regional leaders and members of the National Parliament of Timor-Leste.

The forum focused on building an operational architecture for an integrated digital economy, strengthening cross-border e-commerce, facilitating data flows, and enhancing fintech cooperation between ASEAN and Hong Kong, with the aim of promoting sustainable and resilient economic growth.