 | | Over 40 members from the Chamber and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Hong Kong (FCCIHK) enjoyed a productive evening of networking at our happy hour at Tai Kwun on 17 April.
HKGCC Europe Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros and FCCIHK Executive Director Stephanie Dodin were the official hosts for the evening, and raised a glass to the growing France-Hong Kong ties and cooperation. Visit our LinkedIn page for more photos!
| | 2024/04/17 |
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 | | Why do business and invest in Spain and Portugal? Besides being among the world leaders in tech, innovation, talent, tourism and gastronomy, their economies are also among the strongest performers in Europe. To explain in more detail what Hong Kong companies should be looking at in these two countries, Miguel Aguirre de Cárcer, Consul General of Spain, and Alexandre Leitão, Consul General of Portugal in Macao, provided a fascinating update at our country briefing on 9 April.
As the world’s second-most visited country after France, Spain received 85 million visitors in 2023, surpassing pre-Covid numbers. It is also cultivating a strong manpower pool as it is a magnet for talent from around the world.
Neighboring Portugal prides itself on its secure and safe business environment. Leitão also highlighted Portugal’s blue economy, its strategic location and innovative DNA, characterized by its citizens’ innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.
Alfonso Ballestero, Chairman of HKGCC’s Europe Committee, also spoke at the event about the Chamber’s mission to these two countries in late May. Any member interested in learning more about the mission can find more details here.
| | 2024/04/09 |
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 | | It was a pleasure to welcome Gwenn Sonck, Executive Director, Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce and Siegfried Verheijke, Trade Commissioner, Flanders Investment & Trade, to the Chamber today, where they were received by Josephine Leung, Business Development Director, and Economist Doris Fung. The two sides exchanged views on a wide range of topics, from Hong Kong’s role in the Greater Bay Area to the growth of green and sustainable finance and the opportunities in healthcare sector in regard to the ageing population in both regions. They also agreed to collaborate on knowledge-based events to foster closer ties.
| | 2024/03/25 |
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 | | We had a very productive meeting on 25 March with John Rishton, Chairman of Informa, Margaret Ma Connolly, President and CEO, Informa Markets in Asia, and Michael Duck, Executive Vice President – Commercial Development, Informa Markets. With the strong rebound of the trade show industry at the local and international level, we explored ways to further attract international buyers to Hong Kong. Petrina Tam, Convenor of the Chamber's GBA Working Group, and Economist Doris Fung also shared their insights into the development of the GBA and business sentiment in the region.
| | 2024/03/25 |
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 | | Penta Group’s Senior Partner and Managing Partner for Europe and Asia Conall McDevitt, and Managing Director Thomas Kwan called on the Chamber on 4 March to share insights from their recently released EU policymaker research report, which surveyed more than 600 policymakers in the E.U. and its member states between March and August 2023.
Kwan pointed out that while EU policymakers have concerns about digital security -- particularly cybersecurity and data protection -- they are still open to working with Chinese companies in various sectors like AI, medical devices and e-commerce. McDevitt added that interest in Sino-European cooperation in the fields of climate change and environmental protection is extremely strong. Europe Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros, together with committee members, welcomed the visitors.
| | 2024/03/05 |
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 | | At the Europe Committee meeting today, Committee Chairman Alfonso Ballesteros showcased to members plans for one-week business mission to Spain and Portugal, including Lisbon, Madrid and Mallorca, which is set to take place in late May. He highlighted the business potential in Mallorca, including its plans to establish direct flights to Asia.
Besides opportunities to visit cutting edge infrastructure, innovation and tech centers such as the Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, the mission could also open business opportunities for members through high-level networking with the support from the regional government and main business organizations. Several members attending expressed keen interest in joining. Any member interested in learning more about the mission can contact the Europe Committee Secretary.
| | 2024/02/22 |
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 | | We had a useful meeting with a high-level delegation from Croatia today, led by Marko Primorac, Minister of Finance, Ministry of Finance of Croatia. He explained that Croatia had just signed a double-taxation agreement with Hong Kong yesterday (24 January) to facilitate closer collaboration. Croatia is well-known for its IT expertise, with the sector contributing around 8% to its GDP, as well as its quality wines and olive oil, sold to high-end outlets. Dario Mihelin, Ambassador of Croatia to the PRC, said he is hoping that direct flights with Hong Kong can be established to boost business and tourist arrivals. CEO Patrick Yeung and Europe Committee Vice Chairman Stratos Pourzitakis, PhD, together with committee members, welcomed the visitors.
| | 2024/01/25 |
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