Latest news with #TradeDevelopmentCouncil
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong should look to Africa, South America to boost trade: Fred Ma
Hong Kong should develop new markets in Africa and South America as it faces obstacles in its traditional ones in Europe and North America, the head of the city's trade promotion body has said. Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang also said on Saturday that the city had to increase the size of its exhibition venues, noting that a 'lack of space' was Hong Kong's biggest disadvantage compared with different regions. Ma said that he expected Hong Kong's exports in the second half of the year to be weaker than in the first six months amid the ongoing Sino-US trade war. He said the council would focus on exploring new markets by visiting Asean countries, notably Indonesia while also looking at expanding African ones 'Right now we are facing a lot of resistance from our traditional markets in Europe and North America, so we must develop new markets,' he said. Frederick Ma took office as council chairman on June 1 .Photo: Jonathan Wong
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair: One-Stop F&B Platform Returns in August
Spotlighting Food Science & Tech Hong Kong, SAR--(Newsfile Corp. - June 26, 2025) - Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be staged concurrently from 14 to 16 August 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fairs feature global foods and beverages, tea, and related products, providing a one-stop sourcing platform for F&B importers, wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, department stores and e-tailers. The Food Expo PRO open exclusively to trade buyers on the first two days, and welcome public ticket-holders on 16 August. The concurrent Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be open to both trade buyers and public ticket holders for all three days. Together with the concurrent public fairs, Food Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo, and Home Delights Expo, which will be staged at the same venue from 14 to 18 August, the five fairs are expected to gather some 2,000 exhibitors. Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair: One-Stop F&B Platform Returns in August To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: Food Expo PRO: Asia's key trade event for F&B Positioned strategically at the heart of Asia, coupled with its exceptional logistics services and adept supply chain management, Hong Kong serves as a promising platform for global food importers and distributors to extend their reach into markets across Mainland China and the broader Asian region. As a renowned culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong is also home to a thriving food services industry that captivates locals and visitors alike. Food Expo PRO aims to strengthen Hong Kong's position as a business hub for the food industry in Mainland China, Asia, and the world. It provides a one-stop business platform that helps F&B industry players explore opportunities, build connections and foster innovation. This year, the Expo continues to present pavilions from various countries and regions. Besides pavilions from Mainland China, Japan, Korea and Poland, ASEAN countries like Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam will also participate, showcasing international culinary excellence. As a pioneer in the F&B industry, the Expo has always kept a close eye on several key trends and innovation in order to capture the evolving dynamics of the food industry. Highlighted zone "Food Science and Technology" brings alternative food and future food products to our professional buyers. Hong Kong Food Science and Technology Association will lead a group of Hong Kong companies to showcase their food-tech and packaging products and solutions. To capture the opportunities presented by the silver economy, products such as soft meals and supplements will also be featured in the zone. Recognising the promising landscape of the Halal Market, the Expo introduced a dedicated Halal food and beverage label last year. This year, around 100 exhibitors will feature the label, bringing a diverse variety of Halal certified products ranging from snacks, condiments to seafood. To better promote the potential of halal food sector, the events will delve deeper into the halal food landscape in Hong Kong. The Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, a 5-star rating Halal Friendly Hotel by Crescent Rating, will share insights on how they create exceptional halal culinary experience for Muslim guests. Additionally, the event will partner with The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong to present halal certificates to local restaurants. With the evolving coffee culture and growing coffee market demand worldwide, a new Coffee zone will be launched at the fair to reinforce Hong Kong's role as a gateway to enter the booming Mainland China and ASEAN market. The zone will feature coffee bean exporters from Africa, Americas to Mainland China, as well as coffee accessories in the zone. Events such as coffee demonstrations and seminars covering the coffee value chain will also be held concurrently. Food Expo PRO also features a variety of seminars and forums covering the latest developments and market opportunities in the food industry. The Food Tech Symposium will focus on promoting non-additive foods and establishing a "Clean Label" standard in Hong Kong. The event will also explore the progress of additive-free food development in the Greater Bay Area and invite local food manufacturer to share their practical experiences, aiming to advance the "Clean Label" initiative in Hong Kong. Hong Kong International Tea Fair: Brewing opportunities in tea business The concurrent Hong Kong International Tea Fair brings together a wide variety of products including tea, tea-related products, and tea ware. The International Tea Event Space Design Competition 2025 aims to promote tea culture. Participants can present their creative tea-serving space designs through the competition, and the shortlisted designs will be displayed and judged during the fair. Another fair highlight is the Hong Kong International Tea Competition. Exhibitors' teas will be judged in six categories: Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Black Tea, Chinese Black Tea, Raw Pu'er, Others. The entries will also compete for "The Best Aroma Award" and "The Best Taste Award". Visitors can enjoy free tea tasting of winning teas on 17 August. Each day at the fair is filled with different activities and events. The 2 nd Hong Kong International Tea Culture Forum and The 1 st Tea Culture and Tourism Benchmark City (Enterprise) Brand Ceremony will be held on 15 August, with the purpose of creating an international platform for communication, promoting tea culture, and driving the international development of the tea industry. The National and Greater Bay Area KamCha Competition - (Hong Kong Milk Tea) Hong Kong Final will be held during the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, aiming to select the top Hong Kong-style milk tea masters, showcase the skills and unique flavours of Hong Kong-style milk tea production, and promote Hong Kong-style milk tea culture. Other events, such as the 1 st Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Youth International Tea Art Competition 2025, Tea Tasting Sessions, Tea Art Performances, offer an immersive exploration of tea's rich history and latest trends. The two fairs will continue to adopt the HKTDC's EXHIBITION+ model that integrates online and offline elements, extending face-to-face interactions from physical events to smart business platform, Click2Match, which will be open to participants from 7 to 23 August. In addition, the International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products (ICMCM), organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA), together with the HKTDC and ten scientific research institutions and industry associations, will be held at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre on 14 and 15 August to deliver professional traditional Chinese medicine insights into the industry. Websites: Concurrent public fairs: Hashtag: #HongKongTradeDevelopmentCouncil #HKTDC #FoodExpoPRO #HongKongInternationalTeaFair Doris Cheng (852) 2240 4606 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit
Zawya
4 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair: One-Stop F&B Platform Returns in August
Spotlighting Food Science & Tech HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 27 June 2025 - Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be staged concurrently from 14 to 16 August 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fairs feature global foods and beverages, tea, and related products, providing a one-stop sourcing platform for F&B importers, wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, department stores and e-tailers. The Food Expo PRO open exclusively to trade buyers on the first two days, and welcome public ticket-holders on 16 August. The concurrent Hong Kong International Tea Fair will be open to both trade buyers and public ticket holders for all three days. Together with the concurrent public fairs, Food Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo, and Home Delights Expo, which will be staged at the same venue from 14 to 18 August, the five fairs are expected to gather some 2,000 exhibitors. Register now for FREE admission e-badge: Positioned strategically at the heart of Asia, coupled with its exceptional logistics services and adept supply chain management, Hong Kong serves as a promising platform for global food importers and distributors to extend their reach into markets across Mainland China and the broader Asian region. As a renowned culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong is also home to a thriving food services industry that captivates locals and visitors alike. Food Expo PRO aims to strengthen Hong Kong's position as a business hub for the food industry in Mainland China, Asia, and the world. It provides a one-stop business platform that helps F&B industry players explore opportunities, build connections and foster innovation. This year, the Expo continues to present pavilions from various countries and regions. Besides pavilions from Mainland China, Japan, Korea and Poland, ASEAN countries like Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam will also participate, showcasing international culinary excellence. As a pioneer in the F&B industry, the Expo has always kept a close eye on several key trends and innovation in order to capture the evolving dynamics of the food industry. Highlighted zone "Food Science and Technology" brings alternative food and future food products to our professional buyers. Hong Kong Food Science and Technology Association will lead a group of Hong Kong companies to showcase their food-tech and packaging products and solutions. To capture the opportunities presented by the silver economy, products such as soft meals and supplements will also be featured in the zone. Recognising the promising landscape of the Halal Market, the Expo introduced a dedicated Halal food and beverage label last year. This year, around 100 exhibitors will feature the label, bringing a diverse variety of Halal certified products ranging from snacks, condiments to seafood. To better promote the potential of halal food sector, the events will delve deeper into the halal food landscape in Hong Kong. The Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel, a 5-star rating Halal Friendly Hotel by Crescent Rating, will share insights on how they create exceptional halal culinary experience for Muslim guests. Additionally, the event will partner with The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong to present halal certificates to local restaurants. With the evolving coffee culture and growing coffee market demand worldwide, a new Coffee zone will be launched at the fair to reinforce Hong Kong's role as a gateway to enter the booming Mainland China and ASEAN market. The zone will feature coffee bean exporters from Africa, Americas to Mainland China, as well as coffee accessories in the zone. Events such as coffee demonstrations and seminars covering the coffee value chain will also be held concurrently. Food Expo PRO also features a variety of seminars and forums covering the latest developments and market opportunities in the food industry. The Food Tech Symposium will focus on promoting non-additive foods and establishing a "Clean Label" standard in Hong Kong. The event will also explore the progress of additive-free food development in the Greater Bay Area and invite local food manufacturer to share their practical experiences, aiming to advance the "Clean Label" initiative in Hong Kong. Hong Kong International Tea Fair: Brewing opportunities in tea business The concurrent Hong Kong International Tea Fair brings together a wide variety of products including tea, tea-related products, and tea ware. The International Tea Event Space Design Competition 2025 aims to promote tea culture. Participants can present their creative tea-serving space designs through the competition, and the shortlisted designs will be displayed and judged during the fair. Another fair highlight is the Hong Kong International Tea Competition. Exhibitors' teas will be judged in six categories: Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Black Tea, Chinese Black Tea, Raw Pu'er, Others. The entries will also compete for "The Best Aroma Award" and "The Best Taste Award". Visitors can enjoy free tea tasting of winning teas on 17 August. Each day at the fair is filled with different activities and events. The 2 nd Hong Kong International Tea Culture Forum and The 1 st Tea Culture and Tourism Benchmark City (Enterprise) Brand Ceremony will be held on 15 August, with the purpose of creating an international platform for communication, promoting tea culture, and driving the international development of the tea industry. The National and Greater Bay Area KamCha Competition – (Hong Kong Milk Tea) Hong Kong Final will be held during the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, aiming to select the top Hong Kong-style milk tea masters, showcase the skills and unique flavours of Hong Kong-style milk tea production, and promote Hong Kong-style milk tea culture. Other events, such as the 1 st Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Youth International Tea Art Competition 2025, Tea Tasting Sessions, Tea Art Performances, offer an immersive exploration of tea's rich history and latest trends. The two fairs will continue to adopt the HKTDC's EXHIBITION+ model that integrates online and offline elements, extending face-to-face interactions from physical events to smart business platform, Click2Match, which will be open to participants from 7 to 23 August. In addition, the International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products (ICMCM), organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA), together with the HKTDC and ten scientific research institutions and industry associations, will be held at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre on 14 and 15 August to deliver professional traditional Chinese medicine insights into the industry. Websites: Concurrent public fairs: Hashtag: #HongKongTradeDevelopmentCouncil #HKTDC #FoodExpoPRO #HongKongInternationalTeaFair The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Hong Kong Trade Development Council
South China Morning Post
09-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Tariff war ‘not the end of the world' for Hong Kong companies: trade council chief
The US-China tariff war is 'not the end of the world' for Hong Kong businesses, the new head of the city's Trade Development Council has said, as he outlined strategies to help them capitalise on geopolitical uncertainties. Chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang, who took office on June 1, also said on Monday the council would explore setting up more offices in new markets and rebranding the Asian Financial Forum to include more industry elements. The council has 51 offices around the world, including three in the United States and 13 in mainland China. 'We need to reposition our global presence based on the latest geopolitical situation and the need to explore business opportunities in new markets,' Ma, a former commerce chief, said. 'Our global network will be put under review, some new offices might be opened and some existing ones might get more resources … for example, we might consider Peru after a free-trade agreement was signed recently.' Ma said the tariff war had brought uncertainties to businesses and impacted investors' confidence, but he remained optimistic.
HKFP
28-05-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Hong Kong gov't unveils measures to tap into elderly's purchasing power, push ‘silver economy'
Hong Kong authorities have announced a slew of measures to leverage the purchasing power of the city's senior citizens, including spending incentives, insurance products, and re-employment schemes. On Tuesday, the Working Group on Promoting Silver Economy, chaired by Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk, unveiled 30 measures to boost spending among senior citizens, develop elderly-focused products, enhance financial security, and encourage re-employment. Cheuk said at a press conference on Tuesday that people aged 60 and above spent about HK$342 billion last year, accounting for about 11 per cent of the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 'The elderly account for a large proportion of Hong Kong's population. With favourable financial conditions and purchasing power, they are a huge consumer group that cannot be overlooked, as they create a huge demand for silver economy-related products and services,' he said. Cheuk said the new measures would 'inject vitality into the local economy and promote overall economic development, as well as [spur] the cultivation of high-quality silver products and service modes, so that the elderly can share the fruits of development.' However, the government would not set performance goals for the measures, as they would be outsourced, and their results would be 'rather beyond the control of the administration,' the deputy chief secretary said. He added that it would be 'quite substantial' if the elderly's annual spending could increase by 5 per cent per annum, amounting to a rise of HK$17 billion in the first year. Discounts, insurance, jobs To drive consumption, the retail sector will provide elderly discounts, the catering sector and food manufacturers will offer meals suitable for the elderly, while the Trade Development Council will supply 'silver products' aimed at the needs of senior citizens. The working group also announced measures to promote quality assurance for elderly-focused products through quality standards and accreditation schemes, including elderly-accessible building designs. It also announced financial security arrangements, including cross-boundary elderly care insurance products, strengthened financial planning, and anti-scam education for the elderly. To unleash 'silver productivity,' the government will assist senior citizens to re-enter the workforce through retraining programmes and job fairs. The Labour and Welfare Bureau will also review existing schemes such as the Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme and the Employment Programme for the Elderly and Middle-aged 'to further explore measures to encourage the employment of persons aged 60 or above.' The formation of the government working group was listed as one of the policies in Chief Executive John Lee's 2024 Policy Address, in which he cited the 'growing demand for products and services catering to the elderly' due to the rapid expansion of the silver market.
