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Hong Kong, with an excellent information technology infrastructure, the rule of law, a robust intellectual property protection regime and free flow of information, is a desirable location for conducting high-end, high-valued-added business activities as well as conducting intellectual asset trading and commercialisation.
This was stated by the Principal Representative of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo (HKETO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Mrs Jennie Chok, during a business seminar at Yokkaichi, Japan, today (April 20).
The seminar, organised by the HKETO to enhance the bilateral trade relationship between Hong Kong and Japan, was attended by some 80 local business executives and government officials including the Mayor of Yokkaichi, Mr Toshiyuki Tanaka.
"We also provide state-of-the-art facilities and start-up support services to technology-based enterprises; for example, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park is home to more than 300 technology-based companies in five technology clusters that include biotechnology, green technology, information technology and telecommunications, electronics and precision engineering.
"In all these facilities and services, we welcome the participation of both local and overseas technology companies, as we believe that this would enhance the cross-fertilisation of ideas, knowledge and experience," Mrs Chok said.
Noting that Yokkaichi has a broad industrial base ranging from petro-chemicals to electronics and bio-chemicals, as well as successful experience in overcoming environmental problems, she urged local businessmen to look into related business potential in Hong Kong and identify collaboration opportunities.
At the seminar, Mrs Chok also updated the audience on the latest economic developments in Hong Kong, including the recent signing of the Framework Agreement on Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation which aims to promote collaborative development among Hong Kong and cities in the Pearl River Delta to form a world-class metropolitan cluster that will serve as a new engine for economic growth in China.
She also called on Japanese enterprises, including those from Yokkaichi, to make full use of the benefits offered by the Framework Agreement as well as those provided by the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) to tap into the huge Chinese market.
Yokkaichi, a major container port in central Japan, has expanded container shipping services to Hong Kong since October 2008. As a result the volume of goods handled by this container shipping route increased by 36% in 2009.
Ends/Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Issued at HKT 14:48
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