As part of the celebrations to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the financial hub is hoping to gain momentum from the Chinese mainland to orchestrate Belt and Road Initiative undertakings.

"After years of theory and the construction of a mechanism, this year, we have seen the grand plan essentially get off the ground," said Cheng Shi, head of research at ICBC International Holdings.

The development was underscored by the high-level Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, held in Beijing last month and attended by 29 head of states and delegates from more than 130 nations, which saw 270 agreements concluded.