Americas

Gary E Schloss-berg, senior economist with Wells Capital Management, discussed at the Chamber's November 6 roundtable luncheon where the global and U.S. economies are heading in the coming year, and the effects of the Federal Reserve's cut in interest rates.

Speech    Slides 

Alice Lai-Bitker, supervisor, Alameda County Board of the United States, led a 22-member delegation to the Chamber on November 14. The visitors, who included the Mayor of Milpitas City, Henry Chang Manayan, were received by Dr Eden Woon, CEO of the Chamber, who briefed them on Hong Kong_s new role in relation to China.

A 14-member delegation from Maharashtra, India, visited the Chamber on October 22 to meet with members and to establish and strengthen business relations between Indian and Hong Kong companies. At the meeting, which was chaired by Eva Chow, director, International Business, HKGCC, the visitors said they were also interested in seeking sourcing or joint venture opportunities with Hong Kong businesses.

Zou Erjun, vice director of the Fujian-Hong Kong / Fujian-Macao Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee, called on the Chamber on October 17. Mr Zou invited the Chamber to co-organize the "Fujian Festival," which was held in Hong Kong on November 28. He also expressed interest in strengthening relations with the Chamber, and at the meeting a Memorandum of Cooperation between the two organizations was signed.

The 6th Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium was held in Hong Kong on October 29-30, and the Chamber was one of its co-organizers. Chamber CEO Dr Eden Woon attended the opening ceremony on October 29 and Chamber Vice Chairman Dr Lily Chiang attended a dinner hosted by Beijing Vice Mayor Zhang Mao on October 30. The main theme of the symposium was to promote the preparation work for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The Chamber co-organized a training program with the All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce on "Overseas Financing for Chinese Private Enterprises" from November 4 to 8. Over 20 senior executives from private enterprises in China attended the one-week training program. A networking dinner was also organized for Chamber members to meet with the executives. Over 60 members attended the dinner, at which Hu Guocai, director, Economic Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, was the honorary guest.

Gao Siren, director, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, was invited to a breakfast meeting on October 31 with Chamber Chairman Christopher Cheng, members of the Chamber General Committee and chairmen of Chamber committees. Mr Gao exchanged views with the Chamber leaders on various topics, including the prospects of Hong Kong's economic development and the economic integration between Mainland China and Hong.

Xie Junhui, deputy director, Shenzhen Bureau of Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation, spoke at the Chamber's November 12 roundtable luncheon on "Foreign Investment Policy in Shenzhen." Mr Xie introduced the new foreign investment policies in Shenzhen and briefed members on the further opening in the city's industries with China's entry into the WTO.

In Mandarin   

Deborah Annells, vice president of The Citigroup Private Bank, spoke at the Chamber's October 28 roundtable luncheon on, "Changes to BVI Company Laws and Other International Tax Developments Affecting Investors."

Speech   

Chamber members met with an eight-member jewelry business delegation from Italy on November 6 for a business-matching meeting. The delegation, which was in Hong Kong to visit the Jewelry Show, was received by Eva Chow, director, International Business.

Solovieva Vera Petrovna, Minister of Trade, Food and Services of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, led a 15-member Russian business delegation to the Chamber on November 11 for a business-matching meeting with members. Peter Gordon, chairman of the Russian Interest Group, and Eva Chow, director, International Business, received the delegation.

The 2002 Mid-term Meeting of PBEC was held in Los Cabos, Mexico, on October 21-23, immediately preceding the APEC CEO Summit. David Eldon, chairman of PBEC Hong Kong, China Committee, accepted the invitation to become Vice Chairman of PBEC International. Meanwhile, Dalton Tanonaka, previously an award-winning journalist with CNN International in Hong Kong, was appointed the new President of PBEC.

A total of 102 entries submitted by more than 200 students were received for the HKGCC Innovative Business Award for University Students. The entries are now being assessed by the judging panel, which comprises of representatives from the four collaborating universities as well as the Chamber secretariat.

The Central Judging Panel of the Hong Kong Awards for Services met on October 31 and decided the winners for the award. The Chamber is the leading organiser for the Innovation category of the awards.

Dr Christopher Westland, from the University of Science & Technology in Hong Kong, reviewed at the Chamber's November 8 roundtable luncheon what businesses have learned about investment, accounting, and auditing failures during the dot-com and telecommunications debacles, and what we can do to limit abuses in the future.

Speech   

The SME Committee and the Hong Kong Society of Accountants met on October 18 to discuss the HKSAR's proposed new framework on differential reporting. The SME Committee submitted its comments to the HKSA on November 1.

Dr Bert Twaalfhoven of Indivers B V, spoke at an SME Committee breakfast meeting on October 30 about SME entre-preneurship, insights and experiences in Europe.

Following consultation with members, the Chamber submitted its comments on the proposals for sharing of positive credit data to the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data on October 28.