|
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC), a statutory body established
in 1966, is responsible for promoting and expanding Hong Kong's external
trade in goods and services. With a global network of more than 40 offices
in major business centres around the world, the TDC helps its customers,
mainly local SMEs, develop marketing opportunities, trade contacts, market
knowledge and competitive skills. It also seeks to project and uphold
a positive image of Hong Kong as the international trade platform in Asia.
To this end, it organised more than 350 promotional events in and outside
Hong Kong in 2003.
Among its promotional events in 2003, the TDC organised
18 international trade fairs (seven of which were the biggest in the region),
three public exhibitions and two special fairs for SMEs and CEPA. These
events attracted more than 15 500 exhibitors and over 1.2 million visitors,
including about 150 000 from overseas. The TDC also organised participation
by Hong Kong companies in major trade events around the world.
In its product and services promotions, the TDC placed
particular emphasis on the Mainland. Apart from treating the Mainland
as a fast growing market, the TDC also promoted Hong Kong as a professional
services centre, trade services platform and partner for Mainland businesses
seeking global opportunities as well as for overseas firms targeting the
Mainland market. It also emphasised the combined strengths of Hong Kong
and the Pearl River Delta area, which overseas manufacturers can tap into
for locating their production facilities in the Mainland.
The TDC sought to enhance and promote the competitive
advantages of Hong Kong's SMEs through a wide range of business matching
and information support services, as well as more than 140 business training
courses and workshops for SMEs in 2003. Its internet trade portal provided
a cyber marketplace for comprehensive trade information, e-commerce facilities
and other value-added services, most of which were available free of charge.
The portal was significantly enhanced with the launch of a multimedia
broadcast platform to provide timely market information in concise audio
and video clips, as well as portal interfaces for non-English speaking
overseas buyers.
In addition, the TDC maintained a global databank
of about 620 000 business contacts, which was useful to users world-wide
for the purposes of sourcing and finding business partners. It also produced
more than 100 research publications, an online product catalogue, 15 trade
magazines and numerous supplements.
The TDC sought to expand its global network and strengthen
the advocacy for Hong Kong through high-level business seminars in the
world's business capitals, roadshows, speaking engagements at international
events, global advertising campaigns in the world's top business and trade
publications, and its online business newspaper Hong Kong Trader
(which was sent electronically to over 230 000 senior corporate executives
and decision-makers around the world). The TDC serviced three high-level
bilateral business committees to help foster stronger economic ties between
Hong Kong and the United States, the European Union and Japan. To facilitate
partnership and cooperation between Hong Kong SMEs and their overseas
counterparts, the TDC also maintained close liaison with nearly 30 Hong
Kong Business Associations around the world and the global federation
of these business associations, i.e. the Federation of Hong Kong Business
Associations Worldwide which connected over 9 000 SMEs that have close
links with Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC) was created
by statute in 1966 to provide export credit insurance facilities for Hong
Kong exporters of goods and services against non-payment risks arising
from commercial and political events. The corporation is wholly owned
by the Government, which also guarantees its maximum contingent liability,
currently standing at $12.5 billion.
The ECIC aims at encouraging and supporting export
trade through the provision of professional and customer-oriented services.
It provides a wide range of insurance facilities to Hong Kong exporters
of goods and services for payments on credit terms. The Comprehensive
Cover Policy, which covers exports, re-exports and external trade business
for credit terms up to 180 days, is the most commonly used insurance policy.
Tailor-made policies and endorsements are also available to cater for
the specific needs of exporters in different sectors.
The corporation's total insured business in 2003
amounted to $29 billion, representing an increase of 5 per cent over the
previous corresponding period. Gross premium income grew by 4 per cent
to $141 million. Cash claims payments decreased by 18 per cent on 2002
to $42 million.
During the year, the corporation continued to strengthen
its support to the exporting community, especially the SMEs. It worked
closely with various trade associations and institutions in organising
workshops and seminars to enhance exporters' understanding of credit management.
The insurance policy was generally accepted by banks as useful collateral
in granting export financing to exporters, especially the SMEs.
During the SARS outbreak, the corporation introduced
a series of initiatives to help exporters tide over the difficult times.
These measures included the 'Free Credit Check' service on overseas buyers
from March to September, and the refund of annual policy fees received
during 2002-03, which totalled $3.81 million, to the policy holders. In
addition, the corporation devoted extra resources to help exporters capture
the opportunities arising from CEPA and integration with the Pearl River
Delta area.
On the international front, the corporation continued
to maintain close cooperation with members of the International Union
of Credit and Investment Insurers (Berne Union) through visits, meetings
and workshops.
The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) was
established in May 2001 to offer one-stop infrastructural support services
to technology-based companies and activities in a synergistic manner.
It is a statutory body formed by merging the former Hong Kong Industrial
Estates Corporation, Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation
and Provisional Hong Kong Science Park Company Ltd. It offers a comprehensive
range of services to cater for the needs of industry at various stages.
These services range from nurturing technology start-ups through the incubation
programme and providing premises and services in the Science Park for
applied research and development activities to the provision of land and
premises in the industrial estates for production purposes.
The Science Park, being developed by the HKSTPC at
Pak Shek Kok, will provide a total area of 22 hectares. Built under the
concept of clustering, it will provide an effective working environment
and support services to facilitate collaboration and synergy among its
tenants and ultimately enhance Hong Kong's long-term economic success.
The four clusters are electronics, information technology and telecommunications,
biotechnology, and precision engineering. Phase 1 of the Science Park
was officially opened in June 2002.
The HKSTPC operates three industrial estates with
214 hectares of land, in total. Developed land is provided at cost to
companies with new or improved technology and processes that cannot operate
in multi-storey buildings. The industrial estates have helped broaden
the industry base and upgrade the technology level of Hong Kong. The industrial
estates in Tai Po and Yuen Long are practically full while the one in
Tseung Kwan O is half-full.
Through its business incubation programme, the HKSTPC
nurtures technology-based start-up companies by providing low-cost accommodation
as well as management, marketing, financial and professional business
services in the critical initial years of these companies.
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) promotes excellence in productivity
to enhance the value-added content of products and services.
In view of the rapid changes in recent years in the
international environment, restructuring in the local industry scene and
in southern China, and the resultant challenges to its mission, the HKPC
commissioned a consultancy study in June 2001 on its role, management
and operation. Pursuant to the consultancy study, HKPC has repositioned
its service focus to provide integrated support to innovation and growth-oriented
Hong Kong firms across the value chain. Its principal sectoral focus is
on manufacturing, particularly in Hong Kong's foundation industries, and
related service activities. The main geographical focus is Hong Kong and
the Pearl River Delta.
The local business community has a strong and well-established culture
in forming trade and industrial associations to represent their interests.
The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association
of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese
General Chamber of Commerce are among the oldest and the most influential
trade and industrial associations in Hong Kong. There are also numerous
other associations, representing specific sectors or interests. In addition,
there are various overseas chambers of commerce representing the interests
of businesses from, for example, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, the
United Kingdom and the United States.
The Federation of Hong Kong Industries is a statutory
body established in 1960 to promote and foster the interests of Hong Kong's
industrial and business communities. It has more than 3 000 member companies.
Major services include the issuing of certificates of origin, organisation
of overseas study missions, promotion and endorsement of products with
the Hong Kong Quality Mark, and the provision of English Language Skills
Assessment Tests. The federation categorises its members into 25 groups
covering major industries and services. It also organises the annual Young
Industrialist Awards of Hongkong and the consumer product design category
of the Hong Kong Awards for Industry.
The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong
(CMA), established in 1934, is a member of the International Chamber of
Commerce and has a membership of nearly 3 700. Services provided include
the issue of certificates of origin and the organisation of industrial
and trade promotion activities. It runs the Testing and Certification
Laboratories which provide technical back-up services, including materials,
consumer product and environmental testing, pre-shipment inspection, and
technical consultancy services. Since 1989, the CMA has been the organiser
of the machinery and equipment design award category of the Hong Kong
Awards for Industry.
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is the
oldest business association in Hong Kong. Founded in 1861, it has around
4 000 corporate members. It issues certificates of origin and is the local
issuing authority for the International Association Temporarie Admission
Carnets. It also organises trade missions. The chamber is represented
on many official advisory committees/bodies. It founded both the Hong
Kong Article Numbering Association and the Hong Kong Coalition of Service
Industries. The chamber also sponsors the Hong Kong Committee of the Pacific
Basin Economic Council.
Established in 1900, the Chinese General Chamber of
Commerce has over 6 000 members. Services provided include issuing certificates
of origin, providing Electronic Trading Access Service, organising trade
delegations, and promoting business information exchange. The chamber
maintains close contacts with trade organisations in the Mainland and
world-wide. |
