This is the first Annual Plan for the new three-year planning cycle, a blueprint that will take the HKTDC to 2020. For this planning cycle, the overarching objectives are to:
(a) |
help Hong Kong companies explore opportunities in the face of a sluggish export market; |
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(b) |
fortify Hong Kong’s central role as a two-way investment and business hub for Asia; and |
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(c) |
equip start-ups and a new generation of Hong Kong businesses to become future ready. |
A set of measurements has been set against which we will evaluate our performance in achieving these objectives.
Against the background of a weak and uneven recovery in the mature markets, relatively robust growth in Developing Asia and changing consumer behaviour brought about by the advent of technology, HKTDC’s priority in the coming three years is to help Hong Kong companies capitalise on the new global economic trends and technological advancements.
Building on the solid foundation of our work in the past three years, we will focus on reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a two-way investment and business hub for Chinese outbound investment as well as for overseas companies eyeing the Asian markets. In doing so, we will particularly highlight Hong Kong as a one-stop intelligence hub and investment integrator under the Belt and Road Initiative, supported by our core strengths as a financial, logistics and dispute resolution hub.
On the product front, we will focus on product sectors where Hong Kong has clear advantages and on markets with strong purchasing power and a growing middle class. We will target new consumption trends moving from e-commerce to m-commerce and O2O retail.
The 13th Five-Year Plan sets out a blueprint for the mainland’s economic development in the medium term. The Plan’s major themes include innovation and upgrading, sustainable growth and urbanisation. We will tailor our signature events such as SmartHK, Creativity in Business, and Building for the Future to meet the changing needs of mainland enterprises. At the same time, we will step up our joint missions abroad working with MOFCOM as well as provincial and municipal governments to seal Hong Kong’s position as the ideal partner for the mainland’s “going out” activities.
The fast changing global economic landscape calls for a new breed of SMEs. We will focus our efforts on start-ups and nurture a new generation of businesses that are ready and willing to embrace the challenges of the new global economic order. To do this, we will continue to work closely with the government and our partners to help our SMEs become future ready.