Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee announced the creation of the GoGlobal Task Force in his Policy Address last September to help Chinese Mainland firms go global via Hong Kong.
The initiative, led by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau, integrates Hong Kong’s overseas offices, including those of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), to provide one-stop services.
As part of go global efforts, the HKTDC yesterday launched GoGlobal Connect, which leverages the resources of our 51 offices worldwide to strengthen service offerings and facilitate more effective connections between mainland enterprises and Hong Kong professional service providers.
The GoGlobal Connect launch ceremony was officiated by Mr Yau and HKTDC Chairman Prof Frederick Ma. More than 200 representatives of mainland enterprises and Hong Kong service providers were in attendance.
In his welcome remarks, Prof Ma said: “Through the newly launched GoGlobal Connect initiative, we will leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in internationally oriented professional services to lower the threshold for mainland enterprises to go global and support their steady and well managed overseas expansion.”
In his remarks, Mr Yau announced that the HKTDC launched the GoGlobal Connect service along with an enhanced cross-sectoral professional services platform to further strengthen the support provided by the GoGlobal Task Force.
“At the same time, we will continue to organise promotional and matchmaking events across different sectoral themes in Hong Kong and the mainland, and invite mainland enterprises to join overseas business missions, allowing them to gain first-hand understanding of local market situations.”
The GoGlobal Connect initiative will provide support in four key areas by:
- Establishing a cross-sectoral professional services platform, which brings together professional service providers from eight key sectors to facilitate connections with mainland enterprises;
- Setting up GoGlobal Connect zones at HKTDC flagship events, where service providers offer on-site consultations;
- Incorporating GoGlobal Connect elements into trade promotion activities in the Chinese Mainland; and
- Leveraging the HKTDC’s global network to strengthen market connections.
The GoGlobal Connect service will also be available at the HKTDC SME Service Centre, located in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
At the launch, Yao Chenpeng, Vice President of industrial conglomerate Transfar Group, shared the mainland company’s plans to establish an overseas business headquarters in Hong Kong, noting the professional services in Hong Kong are well placed to meet the company’s needs.
He added that after sharing the idea with the HKTDC in July last year, the Council arranged meetings between the Group and relevant government departments, major chambers of commerce and industry associations in Hong Kong. Introductions to professional service providers helped it understand the incentives and procedures to establish operations in the city. Furthermore, at the Belt and Road Summit last year, the HKTDC facilitated the signing of cooperation agreements to accelerate the Group’s expansion.
An HKTDC survey conducted in the Chinese Mainland earlier this year among more than 2,000 mainland enterprises revealed that 83% of respondents plan to leverage Hong Kong’s professional services to support their global expansion, a significant increase from 62% from a similar survey in 2023. The findings underline Hong Kong’s unique strengths as the preferred service platform for mainland enterprises going global.
The Hong Kong SAR Government launched the GoGlobal Task Force website in March, which includes a link to the HKTDC’s cross-sectoral professional services platform providing information and professional support for mainland enterprises seeking to expand overseas via Hong Kong.