Hong Kong And Chinese Governments Stage E-Business Seminar

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

20 April 2004

Around 200 business representatives from both Hong Kong and mainland China attended an e-business seminar in the city last week, which aimed to explore how efficiency and costs can be improved, and how both regional and international market access can be expanded.

Speaking at the opening of the seminar, the Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Communications and Technology), Mr Francis Ho, commented:

"The CEPA (closer economic partnership agreement between Hong Kong and China) has provided enormous business opportunities for Hong Kong's goods and service industry. If we are to maintain the competitiveness of our goods and services in the international market, we must not lose sight of the important role of e-business in today's global economy.”

"The Mainland has launched various informatisation, e-Government and e-business programmes in recent years,” he continued, adding:

“These programmes will not only help drive the long-term development of the information technology industries and the overall economy of the two places, but will also foster greater co-operation between the local and Mainland enterprises on a mutually beneficial basis, so as to make full use of the cross-border potential of e-business to facilitate trade and investment.”

The seminar, part of the CEPA agenda, was organised by the Ministry of Commerce of the Central People's Government, the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government, and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

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