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The seminar on Facilitation of Industrial Upgrading, Restructuring and Relocation of Hong Kong Enterprises in the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Region was held today (November 23) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The seminar was organised by the HKSARG Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Co-organisers include the HKSARG Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Guangdong and Chengdu. The Ministry of Commerce, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, representatives from PPRD provincial governments and the business sector in Hong Kong were invited to the seminar, which was attended by more than 300 participants.
Delivering the welcoming remarks, the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, said that the key to attain the countryˇ¦s economic development goal would be to accelerate economic development transformation and promote structure upgrading. Thus, the adjustments to the processing trade policy is an imperative for the benefit of the country. He called on the enterprises to seize the opportunities, to seriously reflect on their future development and positioning. He also called on them to consider the option of industrial upgrading, restructuring or relocation.
The Vice-Minister of Commerce, Mr Wei Jianguo, said at the seminar that in accordance with the spirit of President Hu Jintaoˇ¦s report at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on promoting the restructuring and upgrading of the processing trade and enhancing coordinated regional development, greater efforts would be devoted to speed up the progress of related works. Noting that the restructuring and upgrading of the processing trade should proceed in accordance with scientific development, he also said that businesses of high pollution, high energy consumption and high resource consumption must not be relocated to the central and western regions to create new pollution. Mr Wei urged Hong Kong enterprises to seize the opportunity presented by policy change and migrate to high-technology, high-value-added items and to the development of new brands so as to establish new grounds early amid the international competition as a result of globalisation. He also hoped that the economy of the central and western regions could be promoted through relocation. Mr Wei hoped that the processing trade enterprises, during its relocation, would fully utilise platforms such as the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The Hong Kong enterprises in the PPRD region should also be mobilised to work towards the same goal.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Frederick Ma, said the HKSARG would assist Hong Kong enterprises proactively in upgrading, restructuring or relocating through various channels, including the ˇ§Task Force to Support the Processing Tradeˇ¨ and the ˇ§Hong Kong/Guangdong Expert Group on the Restructuring and Upgrading of the Processing Tradeˇ¨. Relevant measures included discussing with the Mainland authorities in providing facilitation arrangements for enterprises on simplifying the administrative process in restructuring and shortening the approval time, enhancing cooperation with the Guangdong province, and providing support for enterprises in personnel training. Mr Ma would also lead a delegation to Ganzhou, Jiangxi next month to encourage enterprises to relocate to the central and western regions.
In his concluding remarks, the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Stephen Lam, announced the setting up of an information platform which provided information on upgrading, restructuring and relocation as well as the current situation, relevant policies and investment activities of the PPRD provinces in a bid to promoting the upgrading, restructuring and relocation of Hong Kong enterprises in the PPRD. Mr Lam said the HKSARG would constantly update and strengthen the content of the website in the hope that sufficient and accurate information would be provided to assist the Hong Kong enterprises in considering upgrading, restructuring and relocation. The relevant website is: http://www.gdeto.gov.hk/eng/property/index.htm
Officials from the PPRD region and participants exchanged comprehensive views on the upgrading, restructuring and relocation in the various PPRD provinces/region at the seminar.
Ends/Friday, November 23, 2007
Issued at HKT 22:23
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