The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) visited Dublin last month to better understand the business environment in Ireland, explore cooperation opportunities and promote Hong Kong’s unique advantages.
The aim of the visit was to strengthen bilateral ties and encourage Irish companies to use Hong Kong as a business platform and promote more business cooperation between Ireland and Hong Kong, Mainland China and other parts of Asia.
HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said: “There are similarities between Ireland and Hong Kong; both are open, dynamic and service-oriented economies with strong expertise in healthcare, agricultural technology, ICT and finance. The HKTDC will strengthen communication and collaboration with a wide range of sectors in Ireland, build a networking platform and promote cooperation between enterprises in Hong Kong and Ireland in fields, such as technological innovation, green economy, healthcare and higher education.”
During the three-day trip, the HKTDC met industry leaders and representatives of Ireland’s development agencies, including Bord Bia - Irish Food Board as well as Leo Clancy, CEO of Enterprise Ireland and Siobhan O’Shea and Mary Rose Burke, President and CEO of the Dublin Chamber, respectively.
Agriculture is a large component of Ireland's economy and the country is a leader in agricultural science and technology development. The HKTDC group met a number of farm-related organisations and firms during the trip. These included AgTech Ireland to learn about the development of agricultural technology and a visit to Terra NutriTECH's production plant to witness the process of providing precise mineral nutritional feed supplements for livestock and explore cooperation opportunities.
The group also visited the University College Dublin’s innovation and entrepreneurship hub NovaUCD and encouraged Irish start-ups to use Hong Kong as a funding platform and participate in the HKTDC’s Start-up Express International programme.
The HKTDC also held discussions with Bord Bia on promoting Irish food and drinks to the international market and explore cooperation in the export of high-quality food. Bord Bia outlined the Origin Green sustainability programme, which operates on a national scale, uniting government, the private sector and the entire supply chain from farmers and food producers to the food and retail sectors, and attracts international buyers and consumers who prioritise ethical and responsible food production.
The trip also included a meeting with Teeling Whiskey Distillery to discuss how to use the Hong Kong platform to expand the Asian market for Irish liquor merchants and encourage them to participate in the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair to explore more business opportunities.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland. The HKTDC met with China's Ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong who outlined Ireland’s economic development and the current economic and trade cooperation between China and Ireland. Hong Kong has unique advantages in promoting economic and trade cooperation between China and Ireland, Mr He said.
The Chinese Embassy in Ireland and HKTDC are committed to providing support to Hong Kong and mainland enterprises interested in expanding in the Irish market.
Ireland and Hong Kong are both export-oriented economies that actively promote trade liberalisation and encourage investment, attracting many international companies.
During the trip, the HKTDC also met representatives from the Irish Funds Industry Association and HSBC to exchange views on how to expand the product range of Irish funds in Asia and other financial cooperation.