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Potential business opportunities in Hong Kong for Canadian business people in Montreal were outlined today (January 28 Montreal time) by Hong Kong's Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Mike Rowse.
Mr Rowse also shared his insights on how companies could expand their presence in Asia by using Hong Kong as a platform.
At a luncheon speech entitled "Discover Hong Kong", organised by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, Mr Rowse discussed with more than 100 senior executives from various business sectors on riding on Canada's Pacific Gateway Strategy to set up or expand their operations in Mainland China via Hong Kong.
The business people were told that with China becoming a new economic powerhouse, there were ample business opportunities for Canadian companies. Hong Kong, with its expertise and experiences in dealing with Mainland China, and its distinctive advantages, offered Canadian businesses an ideal gateway to help their companies access the lucrative China market.
Mr Rowse focused on how Chinese companies were globalising with the Government's encouragement to go out and their strategies of using Hong Kong as a springboard.
Speaking about factors contributing to Hong Kong as a gateway to do business in China, Mr Rowse listed Hong Kong's distinctive advantages that attracted foreign investors most, which included: low tax system, unrivalled location, world class infrastructure, rule of law, world's freest economy, free flow of information and a skilled workforce.
"To be a real international financial centre and a free market, Hong Kong has an independent judiciary which upholds the rule of law. You are free to fight for your corporate rights in the courts, or you can even take on the Government, as many do," he said.
"Hong Kong provides a level playing field for all who do business, a stable and freely convertible currency," Mr Rowse said. "The Special Administrative Region of China enjoys a constitutionally-guaranteed free press and freedom of speech. There is a fast, free and unfettered flow of information in Hong Kong ... no government censorship."
He also shared with the participants the encouraging results on the number of companies setting up businesses in Hong Kong and jobs created by these companies in the past year.
With the assistance of Invest Hong Kong, 253 overseas, Mainland and Taiwan companies had set up or expanded operations in Hong Kong, and had created more than 8,100 jobs, representing more than HK$8.39 billion (C$1.09 billion) investment by these companies.
"These results once again highlight Hong Kong's position as the leading international city in the region. As these figures reflect, Hong Kong continues to attract the very best overseas and Mainland China companies to our shores," he said.
The "Discover Hong Kong" luncheon seminar was co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada), and supported by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Montreal Section). Export Development Canada was the event partner.
Ends/Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Issued at HKT 11:56
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