Delegation from IPIM goes to Hong Kong to participate in the 17th Asian Trade Promotion Forum (17th ATPF)¨

The President of IPIM, Mr. Lee Peng Hong and a delegation of eight went to Hong Kong for the 17th ATPF, which is organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO). The first Forum was held in Tokyo in 1987. The mission of the forum is to exchange information and understanding of all the trade promotion institutes around the region. There are 22 members of ATPF and each year the venue is rotated among them. This year was the turn of Hong Kong with a theme of "Embracing Change, Creating Opportunities". The delegation included Mr. Jackson Chang, Director of the Promotional Activities Department, Ms. Echo Chan, Director of Investor Service Department, Ms. Irene Lau, Director of Offshore Services Department, Mr. Sam Lei, Manager of Research and Information Division, Ms. Glória Batalha Ung, Assistant Manager of Public Relations Section.

Directors of trade promotion organisations from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam attended the forum, which also included Mr. Osamu Watanabe, President and CEO of JETRO, Mr. Yu Ping, Vice President of CCPIT, Mr. Michael Sze, Executive Director of HKTDC, Mr. Lee Yi Shyan, CEO of International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore). Mr. Henry Tang, Financial Secretary of Hong Kong, addressed guests at the Opening Ceremony, and Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC)'s Executive Director Mr Michael Sze chaired the forum.

The object of the forum was to discuss new opportunities for trade promotion organisations (TPOs) in the region, including upgrading skills and recruiting new talent. Building up a positive image, increasing customer satisfaction, e-commerce and opportunities of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) for TPOs was also on the agenda. During the forum, Mr. Lee Peng Hong gave speech on “How t implement governmental strategy to develop the local economy and the role of IPIM” Meanwhile, forum delegates agreed on TDC's proposal to hold an ATPF Joint Trade Fair in Tokyo, from 16-18 December 2004. International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) will host the 18th ATPF in late February or early March 2005, and IPIM's tentative offer to host the 19th ATPF Meeting in Macao in 2006 was well received.

During the forum IPIM also attended a cocktail reception in Government House hosted by Mr. John Tsang, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology of and dinner in the Grand Hyatt Hotel that hosted by Mr. Peter Woo, President of HKTDC.

After the forum wound up, a delegation of eight people from JETRO including Mr. Osamu Watanabe, President and CEO of JETRO visited Macao for half a day. They visited IPIM and paid a courtesy call on Mr. Edmund Ho, Chief Executive of Macao SAR, to exchange ideas on the economic development and co-operation between Japan and Macao.