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Following is a speech by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, at the Joint Opening Ceremony of Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2006 (Autumn Edition) and Electronic Asia 2006 today (October 13):
Fred, Roy, Mr Dittrich, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning. It is a great pleasure for me to join you at the Joint Opening Ceremony for the Hong Kong Electronics Fair 2006 (Autumn Edition) and Electronic Asia 2006.
Entering its 26th year, the Hong Kong Electronics Fair has become the second largest fair of its kind worldwide. It is a 'must-come' trade event for international buyers to source new products, conduct business and gather the latest market intelligence. Inaugurated in 1997, Electronic Asia has been firmly established as an important trade show for Hong Kong's electronics industry. So the synergy of the two fairs will make today's event the top marketplace for a broad array of exhibitors ranging from new start-ups to research institutes and brands of high reputation, and buyers from all over the world.
Hong Kong is renowned for a deep pool of talent that provides professional services of the highest standard, and our world-class infrastructure, such as state-of-the-art exhibition facilities, efficient telecommunications services and one of the best airports in the world which is connected to the central business district by a high-speed rail link. Hong Kong is also blessed with an invaluable natural resource: its strategic location in the region which offers ready access to the vast markets of the Mainland, Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea. As a result, Hong Kong has become a two-way springboard for companies wishing to access the Mainland market, and for Mainland companies to launch themselves internationally. In other words, hosting international events in Hong Kong will offer companies easy reach of the entire region's buyers and exhibitors, as well as the world's largest manufacturing base in the Pearl River Delta.
Nevertheless, other cities in the region, with large exhibition venues already operating or expanding, are hungry for business. Hong Kong must get ready to face the rising competition. To further consolidate our position as Asia's premier sourcing and trading platform, the Government has given full support for the Atrium Link Extension project of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This will create an additional 40% exhibition space, thereby adding 1,000 booths to Hong Kong's mega fairs.
With the completion of the extension project in early 2009, some of our mega fairs, including the Hong Kong Electronics Fair, will have potential to become the No. 1 trade shows in the world. I look forward to seeing Hong Kong's development as a prominent trading hub for electronic products in the world. I am also confident that with its ever-expanding role and facilities, TDC would be favourably positioned to help businesses in the region to further expand their markets through Hong Kong's business platform.
Thank you.
Ends/Friday, October 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:46
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