FS visits 56th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo with Consuls-General of five ASEAN countries (with photos)
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The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, today (December 22) invited Consuls-General of five countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Hong Kong to visit booths at the 56th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo at Victoria Park.
Those who toured the Expo included the Consul-General of the Philippines in Hong Kong, Mr Raly Tejada; the Consul-General of Indonesia in Hong Kong, Mr Ricky Suhendar; the Consul-General of Vietnam in Hong Kong, Mr Pham Binh Dam; the Consul-General of Malaysia in Hong Kong, Mr Muzambli Markam; and the Consul-General of Thailand in Hong Kong, Mr Chaturont Chaiyakam, together with staff members of the Consulates-General and representatives of business chambers of the relevant countries.
Mr Chan visited various booths at the Expo with the Consul-General delegations. The exhibitors include some Hong Kong brands and products that are currently scaling and expanding their business into the Southeast Asian market, and some distributors of Southeast Asian products in Hong Kong. Mr Chan also invited the Consuls-General and delegation representatives to taste some local food and drinks, as well as signature food from ASEAN countries.
“The Expo is an important annual event to promote Hong Kong brands and products. ASEAN is Hong Kong’s second largest trading partner, and our bilateral trade relationship is becoming more important. This joint visit is an opportunity to enhance the promotion of Hong Kong products to ASEAN countries, so as to explore more room for Hong Kong enterprises to develop. At the same time, this visit also demonstrated that products of Southeast Asian countries have huge potential in the Hong Kong market. We welcome more enterprises and products in the region to expand their marketing and development in Hong Kong. Such interactive exchanges and mutually beneficial development will help further promote bilateral trade and friendship between Hong Kong and the ASEAN,” Mr Chan said. Joining the delegations of Consuls-General were the President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, Dr Allen Shi, and several committee members.
Mr Chan said that, to further consolidate Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is seeking the support of members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) for Hong Kong’s early accession. The RCEP, which consists of 15 member economies, including ASEAN, is currently the world’s largest free trade agreement, covering more than 30 per cent of the world’s population and total gross domestic product.