European Companies Eager to do Business in Hong Kong
Hong Kong, Oct 30, 2014 - (ACN Newswire) - More than 2,300 business people from France and Italy took part in "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong", the biggest Hong Kong promotion ever launched in France and Italy by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). The week-long promotion, which ends today, showcased Hong Kong's business services advantages for French and Italian companies seeking opportunities in Asia, particularly on the Chinese mainland.
The opening of the "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" symposium in Milan today (30 Oct) was attended by John Tsang, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government; Marco Simoni, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Italy; and HKTDC Chairman Jack So.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Simoni said that Italy is planning economic reforms aimed at attracting more foreign investment. He added that the main symposium and business matching meetings of "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" would help to promote trade and cooperation between Italy and Hong Kong, bringing economic growth and employment to the country.
Mr Simoni's comments were echoed by Carlo Mazzi, Chairman and Executive Director of Prada SpA. Mr Mazzi said: "I can only be thankful to Hong Kong, which is in a few words, a happy marriage of the pragmatism of English common law and the efficiency of the Chinese people. My Italian colleagues should not be afraid at all."
During his speech, Mr So recalled the adventures of Marco Polo and his quest to do business along the old Silk Road between Italy and China in the 13th Century. "Today, the flow of trade is in both directions," Mr So said. "Hong Kong and the mainland China market have a great appetite for Italian products; 'made in Italy' represents good design and high quality and this covers the whole range of luxury products, fashion, cars, food and wine, and so on. One emerging trend is that Asian capital is investing in Italian companies. In fact, some famous Italian brands are listed or seeking listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange."
Mr So described Milan as an ideal location for "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" because it is "the financial and business capital of Italy, just as Hong Kong is the financial hub of Asia." He also encouraged Italian companies to leverage the global network of the HKTDC to tap into the Asian market.
Mr So, who also attended the "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" symposium in Paris on 28 October, said the series of promotional events in France and Italy has been well-received by the business communities of both countries. He said that the success of the "Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" promotion revealed European companies' interest in tapping business opportunities in Asia, and particularly in the Chinese mainland. The promotion spotlighted the advantages of Hong Kong's professional services platform in helping European companies to succeed in Asia.
Notable Speakers
More than 600 business people attended the symposium in Milan this morning, which featured such high-profile speakers as Arrigo Berni, Chief Executive Officer, Moleskine; Fabio De Rosa, President, Italian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong & Macao and Xia Hua, Chairwoman, Eve Group, among others.
Hong Kong Dinner in Milan
Last night (29 Oct), HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong hosted the Hong Kong Dinner in Milan, which brought together 100 political and business leaders from Hong Kong and Italy. Mr Tsang and Mr Simoni were guests of honour.
"Think Asia, Think Hong Kong" highlighted Hong Kong's advantages for businesses seeking opportunities in Asia. The promotion was supported by more than 60 Hong Kong partners and French and Italian organisations. More than 170 Hong Kong government officials, business leaders from various sectors, and delegates of five trade missions from such industries as technology, food and wine, and fashion, and Chinese outbound investment companies took part in the week-long programme, which included over 650 business matching meetings onsite.
- Photo Download: http://filesharing.tdc.org.hk/hktdc/download.php?fid=_phpQczFH7- Website: http://www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/eu- Video: www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/eu/en/intel_success_stories.html
About HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 global offices, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.
Google+: http://plus.google.com/+hktdcTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdcLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-council
Source: HKTDC
Contact:
HKTDC Corporate Communication Department Parker Robinson Tel: +852 2584 4341 Email: parker.robinson@hktdc.org
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