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At a seminar held in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday (April 20, Brussels time), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) promoted Hong Kong as a key partner to help Belgian and European Union (EU) companies seize business opportunities in Mainland China and the region, in particular those that will arise from China's visionary Belt and Road Initiative.
The Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Miss Alice Choi, briefed participants, who included Belgian and EU officials, business people, bankers, lawyers, academics and media representatives, about Hong Kong's enduring advantages and strengths as a major financial, logistics and business services centre with unique knowledge of Mainland China.
"We take pride in the fact that Hong Kong has always been the 'super-connector' connecting the Mainland with the rest of the world, and we stand ready to help Belgian and European companies seize the far-reaching opportunities the Belt and Road Initiative will provide," Miss Choi said.
Stressing that Hong Kong is one of the most business-friendly places in the world and has a simple and low taxation system, Miss Choi said that the Comprehensive Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation concluded by Belgium and Hong Kong provides excellent financial incentives for Belgian companies to do business or invest in Hong Kong, where corporate tax is a maximum of 16.5 per cent of profits. Hong Kong has concluded similar tax agreements with 14 other European countries.
Miss Choi added that, in addition to its traditional pillar industries of trading and logistics, financial services, professional and producer services and tourism, new business sectors like innovation and technology are developing rapidly in Hong Kong, which has a flourishing start-up ecosystem.
The seminar in Brussels, entitled "Hong Kong & China - Partners along the Belt & Road", was organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Belgian-Chinese Economic and Commercial Council and ING Bank.
Other speakers at the seminar were the Regional Director, Europe, HKTDC, Mr Stephen Wong; Senior Director China, ING Bank, Mrs Juliet Zeng; and the Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Mr Bernard Dewit. A panel discussion and question-and-answer session was moderated by the Chairman of the Belgium-Hong Kong Society, Mr Piet Steel. Panellists were Mr Alexander De Beir of ADM Financial Casting, Ms Jeanne Boden of ChinaConduct Ltd, Mr Carlo Schreurs of Besix Group SA and Mr Yu Dongsheng of China Cosco Shipping.
The event was one of a series of seminars that HKETO, Brussels is organising or supporting around Europe to promote Hong Kong, in particular its role in the Belt and Road Initiative. Previous events were held in Venice, Italy (March 15); Bucharest, Romania (March 21); Milan, Italy (March 22); and Madrid (April 12) and Barcelona (April 13), Spain.
Ends/Thursday, April 21, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:10
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