 | | The Region of Murcia, which occupies just 2.2% of Spain’s land area, accounts for over 20% of the country’s fruit and vegetable exports. Remarkably, a quarter of these exports are classified as organic. This output is all the more impressive given the region's arid climate, winning it the hard-earned title of the "Garden of Europe."
These were some of the fascinating insights shared by Sara Rubira Martinez, Secretary for Agriculture of the Region of Murcia, during her visit to the Chamber on 1 September. Accompanied by Javier Serra Guevara Serra, Deputy Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner, Trade Commission of Spain, and a delegation from Murcia, they were welcomed by Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung Yeung and Europe Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros.
Located in southeast Spain, Murcia is also a leader irrigation and wastewater treatment, recycling 98% of its wastewater primarily for agriculture – a technological excellence that it is happy to share with other areas.
Yeung briefed the visitors on Hong Kong’s business environment and competitive advantages, highlighted in the Chamber’s recent Asian Cities Internationality Index, and the just released Global Innovation Index, in which the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster was ranked first. He emphasized Hong Kong’s openness to collaborating with Spain, and encouraged more companies and talent to participate in the development of the Northern Metropolis.
| | 2025/09/01 |
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 | | On 14 August, Chamber members had the privilege of hearing from Mary Lau, Executive Director at the Hong Kong Business Ethics Development Centre of the ICAC. We delved into Hong Kong’s probity landscape and explored how both public and private sectors can join forces to champion business integrity. We also learnt that, according to ICAC’s annual survey, the public has zero tolerance towards corruption.
We then took our learning to another level with a fascinating tour of the video interview room and identification parade suite, stepping into the roles of suspects and witnesses, which added a unique twist to our journey.
The day wrapped up with a look around the Exhibition Hall on site, where we travelled back through 50 years of Hong Kong's anti-corruption milestones, followed by a stop at ICAC’s Café “1974” for great coffee and conversation!
| | 2025/08/14 |
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 | | It’s always a pleasure to welcome visitors from around the world, especially those who share our passion for promoting trade and collaboration. Today, we hosting Dr Eric Zhang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Sweden, and Björn Segerblom, Honorary Chairman and Hong Kong Representative, for an interesting discussion.
Our Chairman Agnes Chan, CEO Patrick Yeung, and Chairman of the Europe Committee Alfonso Ballesteros exchanged ideas on how our chambers could work together to revitalize activities and ties between Hong Kong and the Nordic region. Eric explained that, despite having a population of just 10 million people, Sweden punches far above its weight as it is a global leader in innovation, tech, and life sciences.
Agnes also highlighted HKGCC’s work and suggested opportunities for collaboration, from a potential MOU to inviting Swedish speakers for our International Business Summit on 9 December, both in person or virtually.
| | 2025/07/28 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome Pertti Jalasvirta, Chairman of the Finland-Hong Kong Business Association and HKTDC Nordic Consultant, and James Chen, Vice Chairperson of Finnish Chamber of Commerce, to the Chamber on 11 June.
The Finnish-speaking Nordic region is an ideal investment destination especially in the fields of environmental technology and innovations, said Chen. The delegation briefly introduced plans for launching a match-making platform to help connect Hong Kong and Nordic companies.
HKGCC Europe Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros, Vice Chairman CK Lee and Director of Public Relations & Programs Malcolm Ainsworth discussed the work of HKGCC and the opportunities for collaboration, such as events and get-togethers to help businesses on both sides connect.
| | 2025/06/11 |
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 | | It was a full house for HKGCC’s first-ever cocktail reception with European alumni at Hong Kong Club’s Garden Lounge. Over 150 people from 11 of Europe’s top universities and business schools, came together for engaging conversations and new connections. A big thank you to the alumni associations and coordinators of Cambridge Judge Business School, ESSEC HK Alumni Group, French Alumni Association Hong Kong, HEC Paris, ICEX, IESE Business School, IE University, INSEAD Hong Kong Alumni Association, LSE Alumni, Oxford Business Alumni and Sciences Po.
Also a special thank you to Alfonso Ballesteros, Chairman of HKGCC’s Europe Committee, for initiating the idea and for being the gracious host. Chamber Chairman Agnes Chan led a toast to ever stronger relations between Hong Kong and European countries, along with Professor Heiwai Tang, Associate Dean (External Relations) HKU Business School and the Europe Committee leaders.
Find more photos on our Facebook album.
| | 2025/06/05 |
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 | | Business travel spending is regarded as a vital indicator of business growth, with business travellers accounting for 50% of global airline revenues. As one of the world’s foremost online travel agencies, Trip.com Group plays a significant role in this domain. Within the Group are several prominent travel technology companies in Europe, including Travelfusion, Skyscanner and Travix.
Delving into the key business travel trends in Asia and the potential implications for Hong Kong companies engaging in business in Europe, Sherwin Dai, GM of Greater China, Corporate Travel – Trip.Biz, Ctrip International Travel (Hong Kong) Ltd, spoke at the Chamber’s Europe Committee meeting on 21 May.
Dai predicted a steady growth in business travel spending worldwide over the next three to five years, with China and the United States emerging as the largest markets. The primary purpose of travel among European business travellers is attending seminars or training, followed by conventions and conferences.
As the super-connector between China and the world, Hong Kong possesses the right talent, skills, and knowledge to facilitate the global expansion of mainland companies, presenting numerous opportunities for local firms, Dai added.
| | 2025/05/21 |
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 | | Norman Cheng (COO, Veolia Hong Kong) and Bruno Botella (Dragages Hong Kong) explored how sustainability in the European Union drives business opportunities during the Europe Committee’s roundtable on 8 May. They also shared their decarbonization success stories in Hong Kong.
Cheng noted that Hong Kong and the EU shared many similarities on decarbonization targets and strategies. He highlighted several major funding schemes in the EU, including Horizon Europe and EU Taxonomy, which incentivize green financing and sustainable practices. He also emphasized the production and use of green hydrogen as a crucial element in achieving global decarbonization goals and discussed the possible implications for businesses.
Botella noted that buildings account for 90% of Hong Kong’s electricity use, presenting major opportunities for energy efficiency solutions. Both speakers acknowledged the city’s progress in its green transition, exemplified by Veolia’s landmark green hydrogen project with Towngas – a significant step toward a sustainable future.
| | 2025/05/08 |
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 | | We had the pleasure of hosting a business delegation from Türkiye on 14 April, led by the Kocaeli Chamber of Industry (KCI) for fruitful exchanges on opportunities and collaboration. Chamber CEO Patrick Yeung and HKGCC Europe Committee Vice Chairmen Stratos Pourzitakis, PhD and Bjoern Lindner welcomed the guests, alongside leaders from the Asia, Africa & Middle East and Environment and Sustainability committees.
Accompanied by Dinçer Tatlıoğlu, Commercial Attaché of the Consulate General of the Republic of Türkiye, Nurcan Babalik, Chairman of the TOBB Marmara Region Women Entrepreneurs Council and the delegates briefly introduced their companies. KCI representative Mehmet Egemen Mert highlighted Kocaeli’s prominent role in Türkiye’s industrial production. With a population of 2.1 million and 14 organized industrial zones, Kocaeli represents 13% of the country’s manufacturing industry.
Pourzitakis said the Customs Union between the EU and Türkiye has created significant opportunities for the Turkish economy, enhancing the country’s access to the €1.4 trillion EU market. Meanwhile, China’s Belt and Road Initiative, along with Hong Kong’s position as a leading offshore renminbi clearing hub, can facilitate investment for both Hong Kong and Türkiye.
Alison Tsui, Head of International Markets, Consulates and Chambers at Invest Hong Kong, provided valuable insights into the city’s unique status and advantages under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework. She also explained how InvestHK can assist overseas and Mainland companies in establishing their businesses here.
| | 2025/04/14 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome so many European Consuls General and senior Consulate representatives to our cocktail reception on 2 April!
Hosted by HKGCC's Europe Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros, the gathering offered a valuable platform for members and dignitaries to exchange insights about Europe and expand their business networks.
Chamber Chairman Agnes Chan proposed a toast to the enduring warm relations between Hong Kong and European countries. Cheers to further collaboration and strong connections!
| | 2025/04/02 |
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 | | In collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, HKGCC’s Europe Committee hosted a briefing and networking session on 1 April with a visiting delegation of experts from Verisk Maplecroft, including Reema Bhattacharya, Head of Asia Risk Insight; Kaho Yu, Head of Energy and Resources; and Arun Pillai-Essex, Principal Consultant, APAC. The event, held under Chatham House Rules, featured an insightful briefing on the potential implications of rising geopolitical tensions, including U.S. trade actions, for businesses in Asia and how this is transforming the region’s operating environment.
Through interactive sessions and case studies, members from both chambers engaged in open discussions on strategies to identify and mitigate geopolitical risks. They also enjoyed a relaxing evening of networking over drinks and canapés.
| | 2025/04/01 |
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