Dr Lily Chiang, vice chairman of the Chamber and chairman of the Hong Kong Taipei Business Co-operation Committee (HKTBCC), led a 30-member business delegation to Taipei 28-29 March, the first delegation from Hong Kong to visit Taiwan after the elections.

The objectives of the mission were to facilitate co-operation between the two business communities, and to continue practical discussions on issues affecting trade and investment across the Taiwan Strait.

On the first day of the trip, the delegation paid courtesy calls on Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (right), Wayne Wu, deputy director general of the Board of Foreign Trade, and John Ni, director of SME Enterprises Administration.

At the 10th Joint Meeting held on March 29, which attracted over 150 of Taiwan's top businessmen, HKBCC and the Chinese National Federation of Industries (CNFI) delegates attended three seminars which suggested possible avenues for expanding business between the two entities.

The seminars looked at possible co-operation between Hong Kong and Taiwan in developing small- and medium-sized businesses, advanced technology, as well as exploring business opportunities in the mainland.

Both Dr Lily Chiang and Alfred Chen, chairman of CNFI, called for closer co-operation between Hong Kong and Taiwan business communities. In particular, Taiwan's experience in developing its manufacturing and technology sectors provided a solid model for Hong Kong's SMEs in similar industries to emulate. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's service sector possesses the expertise to help Taiwan manufacturers expand into the mainland market.

All delegates expressed their willingness to support future business and trade co-operation between the mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Also, Democratic Progressive Party Department of Chinese Affairs Director Yen Wan-ching, who spoke to delegates, indicated that the new Taiwan government understood the importance of actively normalizing bilateral trade and economic relations across the Taiwan Strait. All of which bodes well for the Hong Kong business community in its role as an active and important middleman linking cross-strait trade.