Mr Kunio Suzuki, Chairman of J-HKBCC and Representative Director and Chairman of the board, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (left) and Dr Victor Fung, Chairman of the HK-JBCC (right) presented a new publication, Evolving Hong Kong - Newly Revealed Secrets of its Competitveness. The newly launched book, written by leading Japanese economists, extols the virtues of Hong Kong's trading platform for Japanese companies.
(From left to right) Mr Kunio Suzuki, Mr Fujio Mitarai, Chairman of Japan Business Federation and Chairman and CEO of Canon Inc and Dr Victor Fung attend a toasting ceremony following a Hong Kong-Japan business symposium. Earlier, Dr Fung spoke about new opportunities for trade-related cooperation between Hong Kong and Japan now that Hong Kong has been included in mainland China's 11th Five-Year Programme.More than 400 of Japan's business elite gained new insights into China's current five-year economic programme and related promising new prospects for Japanese-Hong Kong cooperation, during a one-day bilateral business meeting on 31 May 2007 in Tokyo.
The 29th plenary session of Japan-HK and HK-Japan Business Cooperation Committees was co-chaired jointly by Dr Victor Fung, Chairman of the Hong Kong-Japan Business Cooperation Committee, and Mr Kunio Suzuki, Chairman of Japan-Hong Kong Business Cooperation Committee and Representative Director and Chairman of the board, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. The closed plenary session was followed by an open business symposium.
At the plenary, members heard how Hong Kong's trade, logistics, financial-services and technology hub advantages can help Japanese companies benefit from Hong Kong's inclusion in the mainland's 11th Five Year Programme.
During the symposium, Japanese business leaders were particularly focused on Hong Kong as a financial services market. Now the world's second-largest market for initial public offerings, Hong Kong raised close to US$43 billion in 2006 alone. Hong Kong is also Asia's venture capital centre, featuring some 180 funds with approximately US$40 billion under management.
Japan's environmental technology industry strengths were also highlighted, with the focus on partnering with Hong Kong companies to capture a mainland market now looking toward energy efficient sustainable development.
New book on Hong Kong business advantages creates buzz
Mr Fujio Mitarai, Chairman of Japan Business Federation and the Chairman and CEO of Canon Inc, hosted a post-symposium reception. The high-level gathering commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and was the occasion for the launch of a new book on Hong Kong's edge in delivering value as a trading platform.
Evolving Hong Kong - Newly Revealed Secrets of its Competitiveness was published by the Hong Kong-Japan Business Cooperation Committee and supported by the Japan-Hong Kong Business Cooperation Committee. The new book features sector-specific essays and studies on Hong Kong's trading platform from some of Japan's leading economists and business minds.
The two committees will hold their 30th Plenary Session next year in Hong Kong.