TDC Annual Dinner, left to right : Mr. Fred Lam, Executive Director, Trade Development Council Sir Stephen Brown, Chief Executive, UK Trade and Investment Mr. Donald Tsang, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR Government Mr. Peter Woo, Chairman, Hong Kong Trade Development Council

HK-UK Business Partnership Mr Mervyn Davies, Chairman of the UK side of the HK-UK Business Partnership Mr. Nigel Griffiths MP, Minister for Construction, Small Business & Enterprise Mr. Peter Woo, TDC Chairman Mr. Allan Wong, Chairman of the HK side of the HK-UK Business Partnership

Hong Kong is the focus for British companies this week with a series of high-profile events in London and regional centres.

Today (Oct 27) saw: the launch of an initiative between Hong Kong and the UK to develop partnerships among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); the largest joint promotion in Europe between Hong Kong and Guangdong Province; and the Trade Development Council's (TDC) annual dinner in London.

The Hong Kong-UK Business Partnership offers practical information and support to SMEs in the UK and Hong Kong through a programme of sector-specific business development activities. Initially, the focus is on opportunities for the creative industries and ICT/electronics, sectors important to both the UK and Hong Kong.

The Partnership brings together the services of UK Trade and Investment and TDC to maximise assistance to companies in their respective markets.

UK Minister for Construction, Small Business and Enterprise Nigel Griffiths, MP, said that Britain sees Hong Kong as one of the great economic success stories from which to learn, particularly as it forms greater links with the Chinese mainland.

TDC Chairman Mr. Peter Woo said the new Partnership connects companies business-to-business, sector-to-sector and region-to-region.

"We would welcome new players from the UK in Hong Kong."

The UK side of the Committee is chaired by Mr. Mervyn Davies, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered Bank. The Hong Kong side is chaired by Mr. Allan Wong, Chairman of VTech Holdings Ltd.

At a seminar entitled Hong Kong-Your Fast Track to China, Mr. Woo said that Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta were Britain's best entry point to the mainland market.

Describing the spectacular level of economic growth in the Chinese mainland, Mr. Woo pointed out that imports into the mainland are growing faster than exports. "This spells major opportunities for UK firms because you have the business skills and the consumer products they want," he said.

Other speakers at the seminar, which attracted over 1,200 business executives from the UK, included Director-General of Invest Hong Kong Mr. Mike Rowse; and Chairman of Haymarket Publishing Group Lord Heseltine, who highlighted Hong Kong's advantages as a business centre.

The TDC's annual London dinner was attended by over 300 business leaders and senior government officials. The Hong Kong guest of honour was Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang.

UK guest of honour Sir Stephen Brown, Chief Executive of UK Trade and Investment, pointed out that Hong Kong's Hutchison and Cheung Kong are now the largest corporate investors in the UK.

"We confidently expect these investments to increase, and are working hard to that end."

Sir Stephen added that Britain wanted to introduce its advantages to Chinese companies that are extending their reach internationally."…(the UK) offers the best business environment in Europe and a gateway to EU and beyond."

TDC Chairman Mr. Woo will take the Hong Kong message to France where he will speak at a business seminar in Marseilles. Meanwhile the Council's Executive Director Mr. Fred Lam will speak at road shows in Birmingham today (27 October) and Cardiff tomorrow (28 October).

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