Asia, Africa and Middle East CommitteeIncoming Visitors

Indonesia’s Consul General Yul Edison spoke to a full house at the Chamber’s Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee meeting on 14 May about the country’s business environment and trade with Hong Kong and the region.

With a population of 285 million, 40% of whom are middle class, the economy has been enjoying annual GDP growth of 5%, and the government has set a target of 8% going forward. Hong Kong was Indonesia’s second largest investor in 2024, bringing accumulated FDI to US$33 billion in almost 9,000 projects.

While FDI is growing steady, the country has a large trade deficit with Hong Kong, which he is hoping to address with by boosting exports the country, while attracting more investment into the 25 special economic zones across the archipelago. He also aims to raise the number of Hong Kong tourists to Indonesia, which reached 56,000 last year, significantly behind the pre-covid number of 95,000.

We had a fantastic evening of networking and camaraderie at TokyoLima on 8 May, as HKGCC and the Hong Kong Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry again joined forces for a lively and productive joint happy hour!

Dewan Saiful Alam, Chairman of the Asia, Africa & Middle East Committee, and Makoto Wakita, Secretary General of HKJCCI welcomed members from both chambers before proposing a toast with Yusuke Kimura, Economic Consul, Japanese Consulate General, and HKGCC CEO Patrick Yeung.

Guests enjoyed delicious and unique nibbles during lively conversations and made valuable connections between the Hong Kong and Japanese business communities. A big thank you to everyone who joined. Stay tuned for more exciting collaborations ahead.

The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) co-organized a webinar on 7 May to update Hong Kong businesses on the latest investment incentives in Bahrain. The event was supported by the Chairman of BCCI, the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), Tamkeen (Bahrain’s labor fund), the Honorary Consul General of Bahrain in Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Bahrain Business Association.

Bahrain’s financial sector remains a key economic driver, contributing 16.9% to GDP, followed by manufacturing at 15.7%. For Hong Kong businesses, they said financial services, ICT, manufacturing, logistics, and tourism were sectors that the government was prioritising.

Aurelio Castilla, Head of International Offices at EDB, highlighted opportunities in southern Bahrain’s downstream aluminum industry, suggesting Hong Kong could collaborate with mainland Chinese businesses in this sector. He also emphasized Bahrain’s growing digitalization and e-commerce landscape as areas where Hong Kong’s expertise could prove advantageous.

Bahrain has long been a gateway to other GCC members, and offers many incentives, including generous subsidies and tax incentives. Companies interested in learning more about Bahrain’s business opportunities can contact EDB at https://www.bahrainedb.com/