We are the first Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) set up outside China under the "Basic Law of the HKSAR of the People's Republic of China" and the working principle of "One Country, Two Systems" since reunification in 1997. Our principal mission is to strengthen bilateral economic and trade relations between Hong Kong and central European countries from our base in Germany. The new HKETO based in Berlin is testament to HKSARG's commitment to forging closer and stronger ties with the market players and growing economies in central Europe.

Our office commenced operation in March 2009. We have since explored, established, and developed working relations with the governments, trade organisations, business organisations, think-tanks and media to promote the interests of Hong Kong. For instance, we helped arrange more than 10 high-level visits to Hong Kong, including those made by the Czech Prime Minister, the former Austrian Minister for Science and Research; former German Federal Minister of Justice; the Permanent Secretary for Economics, Technology and Women’s Issues of Berlin City Government; the State Secretary of Slovak Ministry of Construction and Regional Development; Vice President and Federal Councilor of Switzerland; as well as leading executives of various chambers of commerce, etc.

Senior officials from Hong Kong including Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Professor K C Chan; Secretary for Food and Health, Dr York Chow; Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau; the former Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs, Mrs Carrie Yau; and the Undersecretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So also visited this part of Europe in 2009 and 2010. They met with their counterparts in the government, the banking and financial, the health and medical, the environment as well as the cultural and creative sectors.

At our business seminars and receptions, various specific themes have been covered including the cultural and creative industries in Hong Kong; environmental policies; intellectual property rights protection in Hong Kong; Hong Kong as the gateway to China and cooperation with the Pearl River Delta region.

Promoting Hong Kong’s creative industry has become part of the initiatives for my office to strengthen bilateral economic ties and promote Hong Kong’s overall image in central Europe. We have been promoting the creative industry of Hong Kong in various cities including Berlin, Frankfurt, Graz and Vienna through seminars, receptions, newsletters and visits. We have also sponsored a TV documentary “Mythos Hong Kong” with special focus on the creative industry. The documentary was broadcast on a German TV channel n-tv in December 2009 and January 2010, and was repeated in July and August this year. In February 2010, we hosted a Hong Kong reception to facilitate the participation of four Hong Kong films at the Berlinale and promote the Hong Kong film industry.

In order to promote Hong Kong’s creative talents, we organized the opening concert of the Euro Finance Week on the occasion of Professor Chan’s visit in Frankfurt and a concert during the Asia-Pacific Weeks in Berlin, both of which featured Hong Kong’s young talents. We also supported the Hong Kong delegation in the World Harmonica Festival 2009, also known as the “Harmonica Olympics”, in Trossingen, Germany.

Hong Kong is the world's freest economy, the most competitive economy after Singapore, a leading trading, logistics, financial and services centre, and one of the world's most globalised cities, where the East blends with the West and people embrace a "can-do" spirit. It is certainly the place for investment in the Asia Pacific Region, whether directly in Hong Kong or in the mainland of China through Hong Kong. So far, parent companies outside of Hong Kong have established a total of 1,252 regional headquarters and 2,328 regional offices in Hong Kong.

It has been a very challenging but thoroughly enjoyable experience to be able to help promote and develop bilateral ties between Hong Kong and central Europe.

Hong Kong will have a strong presence at the Expo 2010 Shanghai. In addition to visiting the Hong Kong Pavilion in Shanghai, you are invited to stop over in Hong Kong before or after visiting Shanghai as part of your long journey.

I look forward to your continued support and strengthening our working relationship in the years to come.

Stephen Kai Wong

Director
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region