Germany to “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong”

10 June 2016 – Hong Kong’s flagship overseas promotion “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong”, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be launched in Germany for the first time this year. A series of events from 27 to 29 September will be staged in Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich to provide business people from various sectors with the chance to learn more about the business environment in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and Asia and to expand their networks.

The programme will comprise thematic seminars and panel discussions featuring business leaders from Germany and Hong Kong, as well as on-site consultations and business matching sessions connecting German business people with Hong Kong services providers to explore partnership opportunities.

Latest market intelligence on Asia and the Chinese mainland

“At ‘Think Asia, Think Hong Kong’, businesses will be able to gather the latest intelligence from various sectors, which will help them tap into the market potential on the Chinese mainland and across Asia,” said HKTDC Director, Germany and Central Europe, Priscilla Yeung. “We are glad that this successful event format is being launched in Germany for the first time. Last year’s edition of the event, held in the US and Canada, attracted more than 3,300 participants.”

This year’s “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” will kick off with a Hong Kong Dinner, an exclusive event to be officiated by Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and attended by senior government ministers and business leaders from both Germany and Hong Kong, in Frankfurt on 27 September. This will be followed by events in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf on 28 September and Hamburg and Munich on 29 September.

High-profile speakers

Thematic seminars will be tailored to the respective strengths of the host cities. The seminar in Frankfurt, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and featuring Norman Chan, Chief Executive of the HKMA, Benjamin Hung, Regional Chief Executive Officer, Greater China and North Asia of Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Ltd and other Hong Kong financial leaders, will focus on finance, including internationalisation of the renminbi and opportunities arising from the Belt and Road Initiative. At the seminar in Düsseldorf, Dr Günther Horzetzky, State Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Energy and Industry of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration, the HKSAR, will be guests of honour. The guest speakers will include Hans Michael Jebsen, Chairman, Jebsen Group, Dr Martin Brudermüller, Vice Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, BASF SE, James E. Thompson, Chairman, Crown Worldwide Group, Royce Yuen, CEO, Malogic Holdings Ltd, Michael Hennig, Managing Director and CEO, Aumund Asia (H.K.) Ltd and Hans Joachim Isler, Managing Director, H.D. Isler & Co. Ltd. They will share their insights on selling to China and throughout Asia.

In Hamburg, guests of honour Frank Horch, Senator, Senate for Economics, Transportation and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and Jens Meier, Chairman, Management Board of Hamburg Port Authority will discuss partnership opportunities between German enterprises and Hong Kong services providers in logistics and maritime. They will be joined by guest speakers including Tim Smith, Chief Representative, North Asia of Maersk Group and Alan Yip, Director, Regional Operations, Kerry Logistics Network Ltd. Meanwhile, technology will be the main focus of the thematic seminar in Munich.

On-site business consultancy & business matching

In addition to the thematic seminars, Hong Kong services providers from the legal, accountancy, business consultancy, distribution and information technology sectors will be on hand in Düsseldorf, Munich and Hamburg, providing onsite consultations.

Dovetailing with the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” programme, a Hong Kong-mainland Joint Investment & Partnership Mission (Jiangsu DOFCOM) will visit Düsseldorf, while a Technology Mission will visit Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Munich bringing business people from these sectors to do business with their counterparts in Germany.

Germany and Hong Kong: strong trade links

As an international trade and financial centre, Hong Kong is the ideal platform for German enterprises wishing to develop new markets in Asia, and especially the Chinese mainland. German exports to Hong Kong have increased by 42 per cent in the past decade to US$6.8 billion in 2015. Germany is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner in Europe with total bilateral trade of US$16.9 billion last year.

Hong Kong, with its prime location in Asia and renowned business-friendly environment, is an important platform for German companies operating in Asia. Some 550 Germany businesses currently have operations in Hong Kong and more than 200 have their regional headquarters or regional offices in the city. A number of start-ups from Germany have also pursued a variety of opportunities on the Chinese mainland via the Hong Kong platform. “Meanwhile, the degree of professionalism on both sides has also increased, and this has smoothed the way for collaboration between German and Chinese businesses,” said Ms Yeung.

The HKTDC has been promoting Hong Kong’s trade in goods and services for the past 50 years through its four-in-one platform of world-class trade fairs, online marketplace, trade publications and mobile channels, helping SMEs capture business opportunities effectively and efficiently.

For more information about “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” and registration details, please visit:　http://www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/2016.
Media contact in Germany:

Christiane Koesling
Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)
Kreuzerhohl 5-7
60439 Frankfurt, Germany
Tel: 069 - 9 57 72 - 161
Fax: 069 - 9 57 72 - 200
Email: christiane.koesling@hktdc.org

Media contact in Hong Kong
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org

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