ANVIL CO-HOSTS HK INVESTMENT FORUM

Anvil Business Club (Association of Young Filipino-Chinese Entrepreneurs ) in co-partnering with The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (香港中華人民共和國特別行政區) in holding the first-ever Hong Kong Investment Forum in the Philippines with some of the country's top businessmen and entrepreneurs as participants. Entitled, "Hong Kong: Where Business Goes to Grow," the seminar and networking luncheon is hosted by "InvestHK" (投資推廣署), Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Department responsible for foreign direct investment, supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up and expand in Hong Kong.
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The two-hour seminar was top-billed by no less than the Honorable Gregory So (蘇錦樑), Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development who urged the participants to seriously consider Hong Kong as an investment destination. "The Philippines and Hong Kong are close partners and we are here to further enhance our relationship for the mutual benefit of the two economies," he remarked. "We both could leverage on the relative and comparative advantages of the other in our trading relationship to elevate it so we could be each other’s major trading partner." The good Secretary was accompanied by Ms. Maria Roseni Alvero, the Republic of the Philippines' Assistant Secretary of the Foreign Trade Service Corps from the Department of Trade and Industry. During the forum, she announced that the Philippines has forged a new agreement with the Hong Kong government to bolster investment cooperation between the two economies, pledging mutual cooperation on investment promotion exchanges and best practices. “It would provide a platform for encouraging interested local companies in setting up and expanding their businesses in both our economies,” she said. Other highlights of the forum included the keynote address by Dr. Simon Galpin, Director-General of the Investment Promotion of "InvestHK" who gave a short treatise on the exciting business opportunities in Hong Kong and China. "Hong Kong offers generous support to help companies set up and expand," he explained; and went on to include various "Incubator programs" which provides subsidized office space, consultancy services, investment matching and a small financial aid package to support R&D; "Financial aid for equipment and marketing," which secures loans of up to HK$6 million for companies that need working equipment or business capital; and "Technology and Innovation funding" to upgrade technology and inject innovative ideas into their businesses.
Ms. Sophia Chong, Assistant Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), on the other hand, discussed the Government's role in helping SMEs expand global trade through HKTDC's "Integrated Marketplace." This includes, not only having access to the Council’s online marketplace www.hktdc.com and presence in over 20 product magazines and industry supplements, including mobile applications; but also participation in HKTDC-run trade fairs and exhibitions worldwide.
A panel discussion and a Q&A session about Hong Kong's various incentives to investors and testimonials from executives who do business in Hong Kong were presented. Some of the executives who were invited include Ms. Lourdes Salazar, Director and CEO of Allied Banking Corporation (HK) Ltd.; Mr. Nanny Hernandez, Chief Operating Officer of Green Light LED Energy Solutions, Inc.; and Mr. Aaron Key, Director of Leatherneck Maritime Security Consulting, Ltd.
Finally, a networking luncheon was hosted by "InvestHK," where participants had a chance to personally meet-and-greet Hong Kong officials and other members of the organizing committee. This landmark seminar was co-organized by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, as well as the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. Apart from the Anvil Business Club, other supporting partners included the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the Federation of Chinese-Filipino Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.; the Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry; as well as the Makati Business Club.
"InvestHK" is a government agency whose goal is to strengthen Hong Kong’s status as one of the leading international business location’s by attracting businesses and foreign investments from all over the world.
The Philippines is an important market for Hong Kong as it its 17th largest trading partner, 16th largest market for domestic export, and 13th largest source of import as of last year. Bilateral trade between both countries soared 18 percent in 2014 from the previous year.