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Following is a speech by the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Commerce, Industry and Tourism), Miss Yvonne Choi, at the business forum of the Hong Kong International Toys Festival - World's Toy Centre this evening (January 8):
Lawrence (Chairman of Hong Kong Toys Council), Samson (President of the Toys Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong), Mr Li (Deputy Director of Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau), Gary (President of International Council of Toy Industry), ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. I am most delighted to be here to speak to you this evening, and to welcome our friends from overseas. It is always a pleasure to go to bat for Hong Kong, especially when it concerns our toy industry. You may be wondering why we are at this location tonight. It is because right here, in the Tsim Sha Tsui East area, is the focal point for toy traders in Hong Kong. This is where most of our local and many overseas toy companies have their offices and showrooms, and where hotels are used to catering to the toy industry.
This year is something of an anniversary for us. It was 40 years ago that Hong Kong's toy industry made it onto the world scene. Back in 1968, Hong Kong attended the world's largest toy fair in Nuremberg, Germany. Our budding manufacturers were just starting out at that time and could not secure exhibition space. Undeterred, they converted a caravan into a temporary showroom and parked it in the toy fair's car park where they attracted attention to their products. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, we are the second largest toy exporter in the world, including re-exports, behind the Mainland of China, and our Toys & Games Fair is the biggest event of its kind in Asia.
This week, with the International Toys Festival, the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair and the International Toy Safety Seminar all taking place at the same time, we are a focus for the world's toy industry. It is a good opportunity to share experience and know-how in the face of some pretty tough new challenges in terms of competition, quality and, above all, safety standards. Our Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Mr Frederick Ma) went into some detail about these challenges yesterday. And many of you will be attending the Toy Safety Seminar tomorrow, so I will keep my comments short tonight. But I encourage you all to take this chance to exchange ideas and information so that, working together, we can raise the bar for toy safety to another level.
Importantly, Hong Kong's toy industry is keeping abreast of international developments. We have been actively involved in the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) (note 1), which has introduced the ICTI Code of Business Practices (note 2). It includes the ˇ§ICTI CARE Processˇ¨ (note 3), which promotes good manufacturing practices and labour standards across 21 member nations. I am sure Gary will talk more about this a little later. It is in the interests of us all to comply with international standards to strengthen the image and reputation of the industry.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am confident our toy pioneers of today will be able to turn challenges to their advantage, in much the same way their predecessors did in Nuremberg 40 years ago.
I wish this business forum every success and hope you all have a very happy and prosperous 2008. Thank you.
Note 1: The International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) is the industry association for the worldwide toy industry. ICTI and its member associations are committed (1) to the promotion of toy safety standards, (2) to the reduction or elimination of barriers to trade and (3) to the advancement of social responsibility in the industry to address environmental concerns, fair employment practices and workplace safety. Hong Kong Toys Council is an ICTI member.
Note 2: ICTI Code of Business Practice is subscribed to by ICTI's member associations. The code promotes toy safety, recognises international toy safety standards and promotes fair trading practices.
Note 3: The ICTI CARE Process is the international toy industry's ethical manufacturing programme, aimed at ensuring safe and humane workplace environments for toy factory workers worldwide. Its initial focus is on Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, where the vast majority of the world's toys are manufactured. To date, more than 1,400 factories have been registered in the ICTI CARE Process.
Ends/Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:12
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