HONG KONG, June 28 (Xinhua) -- A Belt and Road forum was held here Thursday, gathering participants from more than 50 countries and regions to explore new opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The event, the third of its kind, was jointly organized by the government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) with the theme of "Collaborate for Success".

It featured a main plenary session, a luncheon plenary, and a series of investment and business matching sessions, and project pitching sessions.

Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the HKSAR, said in her opening address that wide participation from different parts of the world is important for the successful implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

She said Hong Kong is destined to play a significant part in the initiative. "Hong Kong will contribute to the initiative across all areas of its wide-ranging connectivity, from policy co-ordination, financial integration and trade, to infrastructure and people-to-people bonds," she said.

Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, said at the luncheon plenary that Hong Kong is strategically positioned to serve as multiple platforms for the Belt and Road Initiative.

In his lead-in speech this morning, Edward Yau, secretary for commerce and economic development of the HKSAR government, highlighted five areas where Hong Kong could offer itself as a platform for collaboration with those who want to leverage on the opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative.

The five areas are policy, positioning, professional services, project inception and partnering.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road.