The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) welcomes the Policy Address announced by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu today, and believes the proposed ground-breaking and wide-ranging policies can help drive Hong Kong’s long-term development while resolving some of its pressing issues.
Dr Peter KN Lam, Chairman, Hong Kong Trade Development Council said, “The Policy Address clearly sets forth strategic priorities to ensure Hong Kong’s growth by defining the city’s role in supporting and leveraging the development of the mainland, especially the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) while contributing to global initiatives in innovation and technology, healthcare and environmental protection. The new structures and resources in coordinating infrastructure, economic, social and youth development as well as sector synergy will also create sustained momentum for Hong Kong. At the same time, policies to support SMEs, attract talent, encourage investment and tackle social issues will help resolve some of the immediate problems we are facing.
“I am particularly pleased that the Chief Executive has taken into account the suggestions of the business community on supporting SMEs and revitalising Hong Kong’s position as an international trade fair and convention capital.” Dr Lam added. These include the expansion of exhibition space and the extension of the “Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme to the end of June 2023. Hong Kong companies will also benefit from the higher level of government funding support in the “Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestic Sales (BUD Fund)” and the “SME Export Marketing Fund,” the latter also includes an extension of special measures covering virtual fairs and local consumer fairs and expansion of eligibility to cover non-SMEs. Dr Lam also welcomes the new support scheme to attract other exhibitions to be staged in Hong Kong over three years.
Dr Lam also welcomed policies to boost the growth of specific sectors such as technology and innovation, art and culture and intellectual property (IP) to help diversify Hong Kong’s economy while opening up opportunities, especially in the GBA and mainland market and Belt and Road countries.
“Our full range of fairs, conferences and programmes are ready to support Hong Kong’s economic sectors, from finance, aviation and logistics, legal services to technology and innovation, art and culture and IP, for which our Business of Intellectual Property Asia Forum (BIP Asia) and Asia IP Exchange portal will support Hong Kong’s development into a regional IP trading and commercialisation hub. In addition, we will work with the Hong Kong SAR Government and Hong Kong family of organisations to promote Hong Kong’s strengths overseas. Through our global network of 50 offices, support programmes such as GoGBA, and major international promotional events such as Think Business, Think Hong Kong, we will promote Hong Kong to the world and create opportunities for the local, mainland and global business community.”
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Twitter @hktdc and LinkedIn.
Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications and Public Affairs Department:
Sunny Ng, Tel: +852 2584 4357, Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org
Sam Ho, Tel: +852 2584 4569, Email: sam.sy.ho@hktdc.org
Topic: Press release summary