Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition News

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Thousands of commuters diverted in special arrangements for forum
8 November 2005
South China Morning Post

More than 40,000 public transport users will be affected by special traffic arrangements during the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference next month.

The Security Bureau plans to cordon off the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and surrounding areas, encompassing three hotels, the Tamar site and the Wan Chai ferry pier.

Roads leading to the area are included in the restricted zone, which will be closed from 6pm on December 12 to 5am on December 19.

The restricted zones will be established by passing a bylaw under the Public Order Ordinance, enabling the chief executive to name areas where only authorised delegates, government officials and media representatives will be allowed.

Speaking at a Legco subcommittee meeting yesterday, principal transport officer of urban transport Cheung Jin-pang said only about 1,000 vehicles would be allowed entry into the area.

Under the proposed plan, about 30 bus routes would have to be diverted, and 22,000 passengers who use the bus terminal in Wan Chai North will have to use bus stops along Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road.

A further 24,000 ferry passengers from Tsim Sha Tsui and Hunghom will need to use alternative ferry services to Central and choose other ways of getting to Wan Chai.

Legislator Lau Kong-wah, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, expressed concerns that Gloucester Road would be overloaded in the event of a traffic accident, but Mr Cheung said he believed members of the public would avoid that the road during the conference.

Meanwhile, officials from Kowloon Canton Railway said the KCRC construction site at Tsim Sha Tsui East, near hotels where delegates would be staying, would be under tighter security during the forum.

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Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum to be staged in HK
Tuesday, November 8, 2005
Government Press Release

Cultural policy-makers from Asian economies will join renowned cultural and creative personalities at the Asia Cultural Co-operation Forum (ACCF) 2005 to share insights on how to build the brand image of a country or city through the development of cultural and creative industries.

Built on the success of the past two years, the ACCF 2005, the third cultural co-operation forum organised by the Home Affairs Bureau, will be held from November 9 to 12 this year under the theme of "Brand Asia".

Participants will be invited to discuss the branding of places, products and services through the strategic exploitation of intellectual properties and cultural capital.

Apart from cultural ministers from Asian countries, including Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, a large delegation of senior cultural officials from more than 20 provinces and municipals of the People's Republic of China (PRC) will join the Forum.

The ACCF will feature a PRC delegations meeting on November 9, an Asian cultural ministers meeting on November 10 and five open forums.

Programmes of the open forums are as follows:

Opening Ceremony & Session 1
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November 10 (Thursday) 2.30pm - 5.30pm

Dr Patrick Ho, Secretary for Home Affairs
- Opening Address

Speakers:
* Mr Simon Anholt , Developer of the concept of the "Nations Brands Index"
- Branding Countries
* Prof Lin Meicun, Professor, School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University
- Landscape Map of Mongolia - a Middle Age map of the Silk Road recently discovered in Japan
* Dr Thomas Leung, Founder and President, Culture Regeneration Research Society
- Reflections on Chinese Culture and Philosophy in the Era of Globalisatoin
* Mr Song Weon Geun, Director of International Relations, MBC
- What appeals "Dae Jang Keum" to the Asian audience? Commonality of belief and values

Moderator:
Mr. Maurice Lee, Lawyer and Writer


Session 2: Intellectual Property Protection
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November 11 (Friday) 9.30am - 1pm

Co-organiser: Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong (CASH)

Speakers:
* Mr Pushpendra Rai, Acting Director, Intellectual Property and Economic Development Department, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
- The Strategic Use of Intellectual Property for Economic and Cultural Development
* Mr Alex Guo, CEO, artkey Art Licensing Center
- Fortune of Art Power
* Ms Anne C Y Choi, President, Asian Patent Attorneys Association, Hong Kong Group
- The Legal Aspects of Digital Download
* Mr K C Siu, Managing Director, Hong Kong Record Ltd.
- Building a career out of an interest or talent
* Mr Elton Yeung, CEO, Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong Ltd. (CASH)
* Mr Joseph Koo, Composer
- Ideal and Reality

Moderator:
Professor Chan Wing Wah, Professor of Music and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong


Session 3: The Future of Asian Movies
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November 11 (Friday) 2.30pm - 5.30pm

Co-organiser: Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Ltd. (HKIFF)

Speakers:
* Mr Peter Chan Ho Sun, Film Director, Producer, Chairman of Applause Pictures
- What kind of film industry do we want in Asia?
* Mr Jonathan Kim, Chairman, Korean Film Producer's Association; President, Hanmac Films
- How do we foster an Asian Film industry?
* Ms Charmaine Koo, Head of Commercial IP & Entertainment, Deacons
- China, CEPA and the benefits beyond China - Hong Kong?
* Mr Timothy Shen, Acting CEO & Executive Director, Universal Holdings Limited
- Building an Asian Studio?

Moderator:
Mr Patrick Frater, Asia Editor, Variety


Session 4: Opportunities for Cross-cultural Publication
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November 12 (Saturday) 9.30am - 1pm

Co-organiser : Mingpao Century Page

Speakers:
* Ms Karina Africa Bolasco, Founder and Assistant General Manager, Anvil Publishing, Inc.
- Publishing as a Cultural and Creative industry
* Mr Gary Leung Kwan Ho, Chief Executive Officer, Red Publish
- 2C (Creativity and Cooperation) saves the small
* Mr Mark Tan, Chief Executive Officer of Page One Group and Head of Page One Publishing
- Marketing Asia
* Mr An Boshun, Chief Editor, Changjiang Literatrue and Art Publishing House Beijing Book Center
- Humanised Meaning and Export of Copyrights of " Wolf Totem"
* Ms Lin Hsinchin, Editor-in-chief, China Times Publishing Company
- The Miracle of "DA VINCI CODE"

Moderator:
Dr Ma Ka Fai, Assistant Director of the Chinese Civilisation Centre of the City University of Hong Kong


Session 5 & Closing Ceremony
-------------------------------------
November 12 (Saturday) 2.30pm - 5.30pm

Speakers:
* Mr Andrew Senior, Head, Creative Industries, British Council, United Kingdom
- From Cultural to Creative Industries
* Mr Tobias Nielsen, CEO, QNB Volante Research
- The Many Effects of the Creative Industries
* Dr Desmond Hui, Director of the Centre for Cultural Policy Research at the University of Hong Kong
- "Creativity Index"
* Professor Jonathan Spence, Sterling Professor of History at Yale University
- Approaches to Chinese History

Moderator:
Mr Benny Chia, Founder and Director of Hong Kong Fringe Club

Dr Patrick Ho, Secretary for Home Affairs
- Closing Remarks

The open forums will be held at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. Admission is free. Registration can be made on-line.

For enquiries, please call 2559 9973 or visit the official website of the ACCF 2005 (www.accfhk.org) for more details.

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7 Nov, 2005
TDC Press Release
8,805 buyers visited Hong Kong Optical Fair

The Hong Kong Optical Fair 2005 which concluded last Friday (November 4) attracted a total of 8,805 buyers from around the world. This represents a massive 8.6% growth over the previous year.

Featuring a wide array of optical goods with 577 exhibitors, the fair was held from November 2-4 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The satisfactory result reconfirms Hong Kong's status as the world's second largest exporter of spectacles, lens and frames.

A detailed breakdown of buyer attendance at the three-day event is as follows:

* Total attendance: 8,805 - up 8.6%
* Hong Kong buyers: 2,905 - up 9.3%
* Buyers from places outside Hong Kong: 5,900 - up 8.3%
* Top 10 visiting countries/ regions (excluding Hong Kong): Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, the US, Australia, Singapore, Germany, the Philippines, and Canada.
* Export growth rates to Hong Kong's major trading partners: : Asia (+8.4%), Europe (+11.2%), North America (+12.1%), Australia and Pacific Islands (+11.3%)

Significantly, buyers from the Chinese mainland increased by 20.5%, demonstrating the rising demand for optical goods in the country.

In the first nine months of 2005, Hong Kong exported HK$697 million worth of optical goods to the Chinese mainland, an increase of 42% over the same period last year.

The next Optical Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, is scheduled for Nov 7-9, 2006 at the same venue.

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Get ready for violence at WTO talks, SAR warned

Violent protests are a distinct possibility during the World Trade Organization talks to be held at the Exhibition and Convention Centre in Wan Chai next month.

Doug Crets
Hong Kong Standard
Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Violent protests are a distinct possibility during the World Trade Organization talks to be held at the Exhibition and Convention Centre in Wan Chai next month.
The warning came from Robert Mendez, regional security officer for the US consul general in Hong Kong, at a forum on Internet security.

"I definitely think it's possible. What's going to be important is how fast [Hong Kong authorities] will be to quell [unrest] and keep it from getting out of control," he said Tuesday at the opening of the Information Security Summit 2005, hosted by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Mendez said he does not have a "crystal ball" to predict exact security threats to the delegates attending the talks that begin on December 13, but he told the nearly 100 forum participants that the Americans at the consulate know they are always considered a target.

More than 40,000 WTO delegates, heads of state, staff and overseas protesters are expected in Hong Kong for the Sixth Ministerial Conference.

Mendez served as a special agent for the Department of State in several countries before coming to Hong Kong in September last year. His diplomatic experience covers Beijing, where he worked as a security adviser to the US embassy.

Fearing violent demonstrations like those during the WTO talks in Seattle and Cancun, Mexico, the government wants the Legislative Council to give the police commissioner sweeping powers under the tough Public Order Ordinance under which those found breaking the law could be jailed for up to five years.

Police told legislators Monday they have "specific intelligence" that some protesters may be intent on violence.

The government's request for a closed area, made under the Public Order Ordinance, to be set up around the convention and exhibition center is expected to be approved by a Legco subcommittee tomorrow and will go into effect December 2 through 19.

Also at the forum, Internet security analysts said Hong Kong may not be ready for cyber terrorist attacks, even though government officials describe the city as vigilant.

Three Internet security analysts said they are unsure Hong Kong has prepared itself for denial of service attacks, the name given to an onslaught of page requests sent by online programs that inundate a server hosting Web sites, forcing it to shut down.

They're worried that, while WTO servers will be protected, not enough has been done to safeguard financial institution Web sites in Hong Kong because the city has never faced such an event.

One analyst, who preferred anonymity, said Microsoft, the megalithic US software giant, is negotiating with Internet service providers to move ahead its regularly scheduled December security bulletin.

The bulletin, which analysts use to help security officers close loopholes in Windows and Internet Explorer security, comes during the conference, said the source.

The source also said Microsoft is reluctant to push ahead the bulletin, but the company denied this.

"I've never heard about this, from any party," said Leslie Chu, head of MSN in Hong Kong. He said most servers that host MSN activity are not even located in Hong Kong, but situated in countries elsewhere in Asia.

During ministerial events, hackers try to shut down the WTO servers by amassing upwards of 100,000 computer users to jam the system with repeated server requests.

They also try to hack into WTO servers to paint "grafitti" messages on its home pages.

Roy Ko, manager of the Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Centre, said his office is ready to protect the WTO from cyber attacks.

The office will be taking on extra manpower during the conference and operating 24 hours a day inside the convention center to provide assistance. The office consults regularly with other countries so that it can improvise traffic solutions on the move, Ko said.

"We plan to have this [increase] in service for at least two weeks [next month]," he said, adding that he sees no trend of more criminal activity on the Internet ahead of the talks.

Another government official said Hong Kong is very vigilant because of greater awareness about Internet and public security among people concerned with preserving their business during the conference.

"If there's one subject that captures the interest of senior executives, it's the subject of information security management," said Howard Dickson, the government's chief information officer, in his keynote address to the forum.

He played down worries about whether Hong Kong has taken precautions to redirect server traffic in order to protect the WTO Web sites and wireless centers in the convention center.

"We're aware of single-location vulnerabilities. I really can't go into specifics," he said.

But Dickson stressed Hong Kong is following normal protocol for making the city safe during a huge international event and that it has already consulted several countries on contingency plans for threats to Internet traffic.

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Friday November 11, 8:35 PM
WTO summit not a failure yet: Hong Kong chairman

HONG KONG (AFP) - Deadlock over a crucial trade summit here does not spell failure for the meeting and the hopes it carries of striking an accord on lowering barriers to global trade, according to the conference's chairman.

Hong Kong Industry Secretary John Tsang said he is neither hopeful nor pessimistic about a favourable outcome to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministerial summit here in December.

At the same time, the meeting should ensure enough progress to make an overall deal possible by the cut-off date at the end of 2006, he said Friday.

"Hong Kong has always been the most important staging post in the run-up to the end of the (Doha) round but given the state of negotiations at this time, to be realistic, we are not able to accomplish what we aimed to accomplish by the time we get to Hong Kong," he said.

His comments were echoed later by European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson who told BBC radio there would be no deal at Hong Kong.

Tsang was speaking after key member states conceded at the end of a pre-summit meeting at the WTO's Geneva headquarters that they had been unable to end an impasse over an agenda for the December 13-18 gathering.

WTO secretary general Pascal Lamy said deadlock over reducing huge subsidies to inefficient farmers in rich countries meant that the organisation's 148 members would have to lower their goals for the Hong Kong meeting.

If the Hong Kong talks did not provide enough momentum, Tsang said, then another "intermediate" meeting next year was "highly likely".

"We have ministerial meetings all the time -- there will be in any event full ministerials in Geneva after Hong Kong but before the end of 2006."

The December gathering of finance ministers and trade negotiators had been hoped to take the Doha round of trade talks close to a conclusion with an accord cutting agricultural tariffs and subsidies in return for greater liberalisation of goods and services markets.

The talks in Geneva earlier this week failed to make enough progress so officials have downgraded expectations, seeing the meeting now as an opportunity for continued negotiations.

The Doha round must be completed by the end of 2006, the expiry date for fast-track trade negotiating status of the president of the United States, the world's dominant trading entity.

After that, Washington's trade negotiations are likely to be taken up by the conservative-dominated Congress, which is unlikely to back a global deal.

Tsang said farm subsidies in rich nations distort the world trading system, making it impossible for the mainly agricultural economies of poorer nations to access rich Western markets and so escape their poverty.

He insisted all was not lost and that even if Hong Kong's goals were reduced, the summit would still set the organisation on the path to concluding the Doha round.

"We will still aim to achieve as much as we can in Hong Kong. It will still be a very important springboard that we need to get us into the final stretch."

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November 12, 2005
19 NGOs accredited for MC6
Government Press Release

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology John Tsang says the WTO attaches great importance to non-governmental organisations' participation in its matters and is open to their views.

This was his message during a meeting with NGOs today in which he briefed them on the latest on the WTO 6th Ministerial Conference.

The session followed a roundtable forum last month during which both WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy and Mr Tsang met with NGO representatives.

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November 11, 2005
Gloves are off' in run-up to MC6
Government Press Release

Freshly arrived from a series of WTO meetings in Geneva, Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology John Tsang is optimistic about the upcoming Sixth Ministerial Conference to be held at the Convention & Exhibition Centre in mid-December.

"For all the talk of lowering expectations for Hong Kong, but maintaining our ambition for the round, the negotiating picture is still rather cloudy, and it's hard to see at this stage whether the bottle is half full or half empty," he said in an upbeat luncheon address at the Foreign Correspondents' Club today.

"Being congenitally optimistic, I think it's definitely half full. International trade deals, after all, have usually been last-minute cliffhangers."

He said the delegates from the 148 member economies that would be attending next month's meeting "currently having their aperitifs in the 'Last Chance Saloon' in Geneva if they are serious about securing an ambitious market-opening package in agriculture, industrial products and services."

Reaching such a consensus, he said, "is important for the future of world trade. It is important for tens of millions of the world's poorest people. And it is important for Hong Kong, not just in our narrow self-interest in some of the issues under negotiation, but in the wider context of our status as an icon of free trade," Mr Tsang said.

It is also an important test of Hong Kong's ability to host and manage an event of this size and complexity, with all the implications it holds for the global economy, he added.

Big players making moves

"When the Americans put a pretty bold offer on agricultural reform on the table at a meeting in Zurich a few weeks ago, we thought we had traction. I was at that meeting, and I can assure you that the atmosphere was quite electric. We all sensed that the game had at last commenced - and not a minute early," he said.

"The US proposal put the ball fairly in the court of the European Union whose challenge was to come up with a credible response that seeks to bring down trade-distorting agricultural subsidies and tariffs, in particular to produce market access for the farm products of developing economies.

"The EU response came two weeks ago today, and has already been greeted with a chorus of disappointment by key players such as the US, Australia, and Brazil, as well as a spate of criticisms of over ambition by others such as Switzerland and Japan. And France, with imminent elections in the horizon, is claiming a right of veto over the whole process because they think EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has exceeded his negotiating mandate."

Member economies urged to show political will, flexibility

From his perspective, Mr Tsang says, "the ball is still very much in play. That is welcome news. Given the limited space in which Commissioner Mandelson finds himself working, his offer was bound not to please everyone. But the stakes are so high for the Doha Round, that as Chairman of the December ministerial, I have been urging all the member economies to show political will and flexibility to keep the process moving forward. This is a time for statesmanship, not brinkmanship."

While the "background noises may be confusing", he says the recent series of meetings in Geneva had been useful.

"For the first time ministers were comparing notes across the whole spectrum of the negotiation, drawing linkages between elements of the entire package, instead of looking at each component in its own silo in isolation. This balancing out of gains and losses across the board is an essential, if occasionally bloody business, as we begin to see the shape of the possible trade-offs," he said.

The WTO is in the negotiating business, he stressed. "That's what we do. And there's a huge amount of work to do if we are to come up with a package that gives us the necessary lift-off for the final stage of this negotiation."

'Inside every trade negotiator there is a drama queen'

He expects there may appear to be much less flexibility on the part of member economies as the December meeting approaches, but he is not buying it.

"You have to remember that inside every trade negotiator there is a drama queen just bursting to get out. And in my experience, the closer you get to the real negotiation in the final stages of the game, the more you would expect to see dramatic performances both inside and outside the negotiating chamber.

"Key players would not miss any opportunity when confronted by the media to repeat the quality of their offers, to express disappointment towards the offers of others, and to claim that if their demands were not met, the talks would necessarily break down. This mode of presentation will no doubt continue with growing intensity as we get closer to the end game."

Despite this acting for the television cameras, he say the gloves are now off. "The real negotiation has begun. The run-up to the December ministerial will be action packed. So watch this space.

"From a personal standpoint, I'm determined to do my best to see that the Hong Kong ministerial gives the Doha Development Agenda the momentum it needs to reach the successful conclusion it deserves by the end of next year."

Organisers prepared for worst-case scenario

He added many people thought it was "pretty brave" of Hong Kong to take on the responsibility of organising and hosting the Sixth WTO Ministerial, but the organising team does not look at it this way.

"We think we are more than capable of handling what happens both inside and outside the Convention Centre," Mr Tsang said.

"We are not so naive as to believe that there won't be a minority who is bent on disruption and even violence. They have made known that their proclaimed agenda is to disrupt or derail the ministerial.

"Our agenda is to make Hong Kong safe for the delegates, the NGOs, the press, the peaceful protestors and our own community who want to go about their daily business. Our police are well equipped and trained to deal with those who have mayhem in mind."

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Violent Korean farmers granted voice at Hong Kong WTO meet
Mon Nov 14, 4:00 AM ET

HONG KONG, (AFP) - A militant Korean farmers' group, considered among the world's most violent anti-globalisation groups, has been granted a permit for an upcoming trade summit in Hong Kong, an official website revealed.

The Korean Peasants League will join thousands of other non government organsiations and protesters at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Sixth Minisiterial Conference here next month, the event's website said.

A member of the organisation, which is opposed to the slashing of subsidies to farmers, stabbed himself to death during a protest at the WTO's last ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, in 2003.

The organisation's members also regularly clash with Korean police at domestic protests.

The Hong Kong summit is expected to attract some 10,000 NGOs and protesters opposed to the gathering's goals of reducing barriers to trade.

Its aim of ending farming subsidies is an emotive one with some NGOs in favour of deeper cuts than the WTO is proposing and others calling for greater protection of national agricultural interests.

Hong Kong authorities say they are pulling out all the stops to ensure there is none of the anti-globalisation protest-related violence at December's meeting that marred similar international gatherings.

Police chief inspector Alfred Ma said the Korean group's inclusion on the list of attending NGOs would have no impact on security arrangements.

"We do not consider them particularly militant," Ma told AFP. "They are simply one of the groups that likes to make themselves known."

[hkskyline]

8 Nov, 2005
Twin fairs to help SMEs strengthen competitiveness and find world markets
TDC Trade Release

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) is organising two large exhibitions this month at the Convention and Exhibition Centre to help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) strengthen their competitiveness and to find world markets.

Although Hong Kong exports are forecast to grow strongly this year, Hong Kong companies will face a host of challenges in the middle of the year, says TDC's Head of Customer Service, Lai Ching-Hung. The hurdles will come in the form of trade protectionism, high US interest rates, high oil prices, a slow-down in overseas market demand, and over-production of goods across the globe.

"Profit margins are getting increasingly slim for Hong Kong SMEs engaged in manufacturing and in exporting," says Mr Lai.

He advises Hong Kong companies to look for opportunities in emerging markets; to increase the technology content of their products and to improve their designs. They should also find new ways to tackle problems.

The two expos -- World SME Expo and the Innovation and Design Expo (IDE) - that will take place between the 21st and the 23rd will held under six themes, designed to help Hong Kong companies strengthen their competitiveness and to tap world markets more effectively.

(1) Enterprise support -World SME Expo will have 10 pavilions, each run under a different theme: Global Business Connections, China Opportunity, Industries Meet, IT and E-Business, Management & Information, SME Financing, Legal & Accounting, Trade Services, Public Services, as well as World Market Access. These pavilions will offer a wide range of services, tailored for SMEs.

(2) Global opportunity - Directors of TDC offices around the world will be at the expo to offer advice about the markets in their respective countries. These front-line branch directors will join market experts to give a series of talks on market conditions in the different countries.

(3) International exchange - More than 150 delegations representing 5,000 mainland enterprises will attend World SME Expo not as exhibitors, but as companies looking for business partners. Seventy of these mainland enterprises will be selected to give presentations on their business strength to find partners. The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and TDC will hold a forum on the development of private enterprises on the mainland and how mainland companies plan to venture into world markets through Hong Kong.

A French delegation representing 120 companies, and a Japanese delegation representing over 100 companies will also be at the expo looking for Hong Kong partners with whom to enter the mainland market.

(4) Design and business - IDE will set up a pavilion to showcase the services of Hong Kong design companies and their overseas counterparts. A "Scandinavian Design Day" will be held on the first day of the IDE. Designers from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark will give talks on how Scandinavian companies use design to build brand names and add value to their products. A design and creative industry delegation from the UK will also attend the expo to establish contacts with Hong Kong companies.

(5) Opportunity in environmental protection: The HSBC will be sponsoring a "HSBC Living Business ECO DAY", which will feature a series of seminars on subjects such as opportunities on the mainland for companies involved in environmental protection. Talks will also be given on corporate social responsibility, green manufacturing, and water resources management. Environmental protection technologies and products and services provided by Hong Kong and overseas companies will be on display in a special pavilion set up for displaying environmental technologies.

(6) Innovative technology: Companies specialising in environmental protection technology, material science, electronics technology and biotechnology will be exhibiting their products under one roof.

Two other events will take place concurrently at the expo:

Hong Kong Forum - An annual conference organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide, a grouping of Hong Kong business associations from 23 countries.

Business of Design Week - This large-scale conference is organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre in conjunction with the TDC. World-renowned designers and brand image consultants will share their insights and success stories with the audience.

More details are available at http://www.worldsmeexpo.com and http://www.innodesignexpo.com.

[hkskyline]

HK geared up for WTO Ministerial Conference
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Government Press Release


The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Rafael Hui, who chairs the High Level Committee to Oversee the Preparation of the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, inspects a multi-agency coordination centre during an exercise designed to test the response of government departments and agencies to incidents that may occur during the conference. He is accompanied by the Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose S K Lee.

Government departments and agencies have just successfully completed a series of multi-agency exercises designed to test their preparedness and response to a wide range of incidents that may occur during next month's Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization.

The series of exercises, the first of which started on September 23, were planned by the Security Bureau's Exercise Planning Team consisting of officers with wide-ranging experience in emergency and crisis management.

A total of 44 government departments and agencies took part in the fifth and biggest command-post exercise in the series, which was completed late last night (November 18). Some 25 departmental/agency emergency control centres were activated at multiple locations throughout Hong Kong during the exercise.

Various scenarios were simulated in the exercise to test the workability and effectiveness of key departmental response plans, the interface compatibility of existing departmental communication systems and the interface between a control Multi-Agency Coordination Centre and existing departmental command and control systems.

"This is the biggest joint exercise that the Government has ever conducted.

"It has provided a good opportunity for relevant departments and agencies to practise their response to incidents of varying degrees of seriousness and to identify areas for improvement," a government spokesman said.

[hkskyline]

21 Nov, 2005
Twin Expos offer world SMEs a double shot at markets and services
TDC Press Release







Thousands of traders gather at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to explore business opportunities.

TDC Chairman Peter Woo thumbs up for "My Car", the first car designed and manufactured in Hong Kong.

The World SME Expo and Innovation and Design Expo (IDE) have attracted a total of 500 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC) is holding two concurrent exhibitions - The World SME Expo and Innovation and Design Expo (IDE) - at the Convention and Exhibition Centre from today (November 21) until Wednesday.

The World SME Expo, which has attracted 320 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions, is designed to help SMEs strengthen their competitiveness and tap world markets more effectively.

The first ever IDE, with over 180 exhibitors from 12 countries and regions, is aimed at helping businesses move up the value chain by strengthening their technology and design capabilities.

TDC's Chairman Peter Woo said: "TDC equals connectivity for companies the world over. TDC helps companies market products and services around the world.

"Our message is simple. Wherever you come from, you use the Hong Kong platform and you are one of us, and TDC's services are available to you. Our physical marketplace of trade fairs, our virtual marketplace, tdctrade.com, and events such as World SME Expo are all here to help you connect."

Highlights of the twin Expos are:

International exchange: More than 150 delegations representing 5,000 mainland enterprises will attend World SME Expo in search of business partners.

Seventy of these mainland enterprises have been selected by business experts to give presentations on their business strengths. Around 1,000 venture capitalists and potential business partners will be attending these presentations looking for investment opportunities.

The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and TDC will hold a forum on the development of private enterprises in the mainland on the second day of the shows. The forum will focus on how mainland companies can enter world markets through Hong Kong.

Large delegations from France and Japan will be attending the two Expos. The French delegation, representing 150 companies, includes businesses from the food and beverage sector, as well as electronics and information technology, printing and packing, environmental protection and fashion and cosmetics.

The Japanese delegation, representing over 100 companies, will be looking for partners in mainland ventures.

Design and business: A "Scandinavian Design Day" will be held on the first day (November 21) of the IDE. Designers from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark will give talks on how Scandinavian companies have used design to build brand names and add value to their products. A design and creative industry delegation from the UK will also attend the IDE to establish contacts with Hong Kong companies.

A special pavilion will showcase the services of Hong Kong design companies and their overseas counterparts.

Opportunity in environmental protection: HSBC will be sponsoring an "HSBC Living Business ECO DAY" on the second day of the IDE, featuring a series of seminars on subjects such as opportunities in the mainland for companies involved in environmental protection.

Talks will be given on corporate social responsibility, green manufacturing, and water resources management. Environmental protection technologies and products and services provided by Hong Kong and overseas companies will also be on display in a special pavilion of environmental technologies.

Innovative technology: Companies and institutions specialising in environmental protection technology, material science, electronics technology and biotechnology will exhibit their products and services under one roof.

Enterprise support: World SME Expo will have 10 pavilions, each under a different theme: Global Business Connections, China Opportunity, Industries Meet, IT and E-Business, Management & Information, SME Financing, Legal & Accounting, Trade Services, Public Services, and World Market Access. These pavilions will offer a wide range of services tailored for SMEs.

Global opportunity: Directors of TDC offices around the world will be at the Expos to offer advice about their respective markets. These front-line branch directors will join experts to give a series of talks on market conditions in their countries.

Two other events will take place concurrently at the Expos:

Hong Kong Forum: An annual conference organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Business Associations Worldwide will bring together Hong Kong business associations from 23 countries.

Business of Design Week: This large-scale conference is organised by the Hong Kong Design Centre in conjunction with the TDC. World-renowned designers and brand image consultants will share their insights and success stories with the audience.

More details are available at http://www.worldsmeexpo.com and http://www.innodesignexpo.com.

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Hotels on alert after new threat

Fresh terrorism threats and the upcoming World Trade Organization talks have forced local hotels to beef up security, the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners said Thursday.

Winnie Chong and Justin Mitchell
Hong Kong Standard
Friday, November 25, 2005

Fresh terrorism threats and the upcoming World Trade Organization talks have forced local hotels to beef up security, the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners said Thursday.

The territory, already gearing up for possible violence at next month's WTO conference in Wan Chai, has been mentioned again in a letter faxed to the Chinese consulate general in Karachi, Pakistan, warning that certain luxury hotels in Hong Kong and in the mainland could be attacked.

It is the third time this month that the Pearl River Delta has received a terrorism warning.

Michael Li, executive director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, said security at almost all hotels, especially those near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the WTO meeting is to be held, has been stepped up.

Li said several measures are already in place, like sealing off some hotel entrances and exits, double checking the identification of staff reporting for work and ensuring that people taking elevators to the rooms are guests. Some hotels have also hired extra security guards, he said.

Security chief Ambrose Lee assured that there is no evidence so far to confirm the intelligence from Pakistan is true. "But, of course, we don't take such threats lightly," he said, describing his current assessment for terrorist attacks in Hong Kong as "medium risk."

The latest threat received by the Chinese consulate in Karachi was made in the name of person identifying himself as Ali Rizvi, Agence France-Presse quoted a Pakistani security official as saying. But, the official added: "Investigations so far have failed to trace the person named in the letter. We're still trying to work out whether it's a hoax or something serious."

Mazhar Javed, an official at Pakistan's consulate in Hong Kong, said he learned of the alleged threat through news reports and that he could not comment further.

On November 9, the US embassy in Beijing warned on its Web site that four- and five-star hotels in the SAR could be likely targets of Islamic extremists. But, China's Ministry of Public Security quickly labeled the warning as "not credible." Four days later, the US consulate in Hong Kong issued another warning, based on what was called "credible information," advising Americans traveling to Guangzhou to be on the alert when attending churches or functions.

Police Commissioner Dick Lee also downplayed the possibility of attacks in Hong Kong. "There're often reports and intelligence about such threats and we'll study them," he said.

James Lu, executive director of the Hong Kong Hotels Association, which represents the international hotel chains, was also skeptical. "Remember the Shanghai threat two weeks ago? This sounds like the last one. We take these threats seriously, but probably, to put it in a Chinese term, `It's frying yesterday's rice.' I bet, in another couple days, or in a week, we'll be hearing about another one."

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WTO protests approved but will be restricted

Three protests scheduled for the December World Trade Organization conference in Wan Chai have been given the official go-ahead but are restricted to smaller than requested areas and will be governed under a special ordinance giving the police commissioner sweeping powers to terminate the marches.

Mimi Lau and Michael Ng
Hong Kong Standard
Saturday, November 26, 2005

Three protests scheduled for the December World Trade Organization conference in Wan Chai have been given the official go-ahead but are restricted to smaller than requested areas and will be governed under a special ordinance giving the police commissioner sweeping powers to terminate the marches.

Hong Kong People's Alliance on WTO, an umbrella group helping the expected 7,000 incoming international protesters, announced Friday that it received three separate notices from the the police three days ago expressing no objections to the rallies scheduled for December 11, 13 and 18 - the Sunday prior to the conference, and its opening and closing dates, respectively.

Organizers told police they expect crowds ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 people for the marches.

"We are happy that the letters contained no specific statements targeting overseas protesters," said Elizabeth Tang, the alliance's chairwoman.

Previously in the Legislative Council, while explaining why the police needed special powers under the strict Public Order Ordinance, Assistant Police Commissioner Henrique Koo cited what he called "specific intelligence" that riot-like behavior is possible.

The protests will take three different routes, but all will begin in Victoria Park. The first will end at government headquarters in Central, and the other two at rally areas in north Wan Chai, near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, where the conference will be held.

But Tang is disappointed by the restrictive space given to the marches. For example, police agreed to close off only the left lane of Hennessy Road in Wan Chai for the first and last marches, which organizers worry will slow down the procession.

The alliance does not rule out the occasional violent flare-up but Tang is sure it will be restricted to at most 30 people and that, with the help of the police, the 500 marshals - both local and international - will be able to keep things under control.

"Violent groups will be separated and the rest of the peaceful groups will go on with the marching," she said.

The alliance has translated into English and Korean a set of guidelines for the protesters, including the Public Order Ordinance and modes of peaceful protesting.

Tang also announced on Friday that the 2,300 Korean delegation of mostly farmers has agreed to comply to the guidelines and has also pledged to abstain from consuming alcohol during WTO related events.

Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works Annie Choi told a Legislative Council transport panel Friday that measures by the government and other organizations have been worked out to alleviate anticipated traffic problems caused by sealing off a large swath of Wan Chai during the conference. To stay on top of the situation the Transport Department will activate its emergency coordination center, she said.

Also, Eastern Harbour Crossing and Western Harbour Tunnel are reducing tolls throughout the conference to attract vehicles away from the city center.

But Wilfred Lau, head of MTR Corp, said his company does not plan to offer fare discounts to encourage commuters to use rail instead of road transport at that time.

"We have reserved HK$10 million for extra services like hiring additional staff for patrols and canceling our staffers' holidays. But we believe there is no room for fare concessions."

The government estimates 46,000 passengers will be affected by the conference, mostly because 30 bus routes will be diverted and the Star Ferry's service from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom will also be suspended.

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Sunday November 27, 1:20 PM
Draft for WTO Summit Includes Big Gaps

AP - The WTO's top official laid out a draft for next month's Hong Kong summit, underscoring just how much work needed to be done to salvage even a watered-down agreement.

World Trade Organization members are eager to reach a deal at the Dec. 13-18 ministerial meeting, but the 42-page draft unveiled by WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy showed how far they are from agreeing on critical issues including the liberalization of trade in farm products and manufactured goods.

"Clearly, we would all have liked to see a more operational text by now, but this is where we are," Lamy told delegates Saturday at the organization's Geneva headquarters. "The current draft does not seek to establish a final balance here and now _ that is for the end of the round, which is not where we are now."

The draft does reflect some progress made by WTO members over the past 18 months in the formulation of new antidumping rules and measures to improve customs facilities.

But it offers no prescription for cutting tariffs and subsidies on either agriculture or manufactured goods _ two subjects that have held up negotiations for many months.

Trade officials conceded that progress is needed in these two sectors ahead of Hong Kong and that unless the present gulf in opinion was bridged, it would be impossible to reach any meaningful deal there.

The meeting in Hong Kong was supposed to be the concluding session of the current round of global talks that have been under way for four years, outlining specific measures countries must take to open up their markets.

The Doha round of trade talks, named for the Qatari capital where they were launched in 2001, aims to cut trade barriers across a wide range of sectors and is supposed to address the needs of developing countries, for whom agriculture is a particularly sensitive topic.

Developing countries say farm trade needs to be tackled first because it is so important to their economies and because it is heavily protected in many rich countries.

The 25-nation European Union, in particular, has been under fire for not making further cuts to its farm tariffs and subsidies. A series of meetings over the past two months between ministers has failed to break the deadlock.

The EU says equal attention needs to be paid to manufactured goods, which far outweigh agriculture's importance in global trade.

But, in both areas, Lamy's draft fails to outline any potential agreement to reduce tariffs and slash subsidy programs because of the sharp divide between countries.

Instead, those sections of the draft "provide important information on the range of outstanding issues, point to the significant amount of work which has already been done and genuinely reflect the situation we are currently in," Lamy said.

Brazil, a major exporter of farm goods, said the draft was not balanced because it reflected disagreements between countries and thereby rewarded those that have sought to stall progress in certain sectors.

However Brazil's ambassador to the WTO, Clodoaldo Hugueney, said the document was "a good basis" for future negotiations.

Both Hugueney and EU Ambassador Carlo Trojan stressed that the problems were not confined to agriculture but also could be seen in the section dealing with manufactured goods.

Activists said industrialized nations had to give ground before the gap can be narrowed.

"This compromise text reflects just how much rich countries have been pushing their own agendas," said Amy Barry, a spokeswoman at the international aid agency Oxfam. "Rich countries continue to block development at the WTO."

The final treaty, when completed, would be binding on all 148 WTO members. The round is already well behind its original December 2004 deadline.

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Flotilla set to make waves with protest
Participants and spectators at the World Trade Organization talks next month will be treated to an unusual maritime protest in front of the meeting's harborside venue.

Doug Crets
Hong Kong Standard
Monday, November 28, 2005

Participants and spectators at the World Trade Organization talks next month will be treated to an unusual maritime protest in front of the meeting's harborside venue.

Nearly 600 fishermen from across Asia will sail back and forth in the harbor on December 13, the opening day of the WTO talks, to chastise the organization for allowing international corporations to ruin traditional fishing industries, the group's spokesman said.

Between 500 to 600 protesters will take advantage of the pledge to allow freedom of speech during the talks, which end December 18, by sending a flotilla of four boats right up to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on the first morning.

Fishing community activists will burn 50 WTO logos and flags, according to Dondi Tawatao, Asian liaison for Fisherfolk Movement Philippines.

Captain Buddy De la Cruz, the Filipino migrant worker who led about 100 protesters to disrupt a press conference held by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, will guide fishermen from Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Cambodia up to the boundary of the closed area surrounding the convention center, Tawatao said.

Throughout the "fluvial parade," the fishermen will broadcast loud-hailer messages and release helium balloons.

Negotiations with marine police are still underway, but the fishermen are prepared to launch their boats from the nearby Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry pier, Tawatao said.

"The consensus among the members is that it will hopefully be a peaceful demonstration," Tawatao said.

He also said his group was surprised to learn that marine police had allowed them to end their demonstration near the Wan Chai sports ground pier, within view of the convention center.

The marine police said they are aware of the planned demonstration, but did not say whether floating objects on the harbor water is illegal, nor did they say what the police will do about it.

"Contingency measures have been prepared and tested to handle any boat parade staged in the harbor during the period," a police spokesman said.

The protest group's message is in line with other anti-globalization discontent. "With the onset of...the WTO, the region saw further increases in a drive by the multinational and transnational corporations to control natural resources under the guise of direct financial investments," read the group's press release.

Fishermen blame business deals between poor nations and fish canneries for dumping unfairly priced tuna and sardines, along with other products, on Third World economies.

Tawatao said there is not likely to be any confrontation.

Peace Boat, a Japan-based NGO which promotes world peace and human rights, is interested in joining the protest.

So too is the Farley Mowat, a "direction confrontation" vessel of Canada-based whaling group Sea Shepherd, which tries to interrupt the operations of whaling ships.

The two vessels have not definitely confirmed whether they would join the flotilla, Tawatao said.

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Moving trade fair to HK expected to lure thousands more buyers
7 January 2006
South China Morning Post

About 45,000 international buyers of electronic goods are expected to visit Hong Kong in April for a trade fair, a nearly 200 per cent increase since the last show in Shanghai.

The number of buyers from Western Europe at the China Sourcing Fair: Electronics and Components is expected to increase 160 per cent and those from the United States 180 per cent.

The last fair in Shanghai, in October, attracted more than 18,000 buyers.

The April show in Hong Kong will occupy eight halls at the AsiaWorld Expo and is expected to pull in the buyers from around the world.

The number of exhibitors and booths is yet to be finalised, but 70 per cent of the mainland suppliers have never exhibited in Hong Kong before.

Show organisers Global Sources aims to make the show the biggest in Asia.

The organisers said that while big deals were unlikely to be signed during the four-day show - from April 18 - buyers and exhibitors had no objection in the move from Shanghai to Hong Kong despite the higher costs.

They said that while the mainland was growing, Hong Kong still led the way in the exhibition business.

"Hong Kong is still the gateway to China," Global Sources exhibitions' general manager Chuck Armitage said.

In the past, buyers had to decide between Hong Kong [the electronics fair organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council] and Shanghai. Now they just need to go to Hong Kong."

Global Sources has signed a three-year deal with AsiaWorld Expo worth US$50 million.

Apart from the spring and winter electronics and components shows, the company will also organise four others this year on gifts and home and fashion accessories.

Exhibitors have high hopes for the April show.

Bastian Land, senior sales and marketing manager of Apollo Worldwide, which will exhibit the latest products, such as in-car DVD players and portable digital televisions, said Hong Kong was a better choice for trade fairs.

"Hong Kong is better for shows because of factors such as infrastructure. People do travel to Shanghai but business is mostly done in Hong Kong," Mr Land said.

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Cars make way for more conventions
$70m will be spent to convert car park at Convention and Exhibition Centre
11 January 2006
South China Morning Post

A car park will be converted into exhibition space at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, creating 350 more booths to help accommodate strong demand for trade fairs.

The conversion will cost $70 million and be ready in time for April's Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair, which has already sold the extra booth space, called Expo Drive Hall.

This is on top of the scheduled $1.3 billion expansion of the atrium, which is now used for on-site buyer registration but will be home to more than 1,000 booths by 2009.

The tendering process for the atrium is expected to end in May, after which the contract will be awarded.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has been invited to monitor the tendering process as an independent observer. Both projects are being jointly funded by the Trade Development Council and property giant New World Development.

Executive director Fred Lam Tin-fuk said the council had given up on its idea of the nearby Tamar site as a site for expansion.

"We don't know what will happen after two or three years, so it's not worth it. However, the car park is a permanent space," he said.

Tamar has previously been used as a temporary site to house exhibitors unable to secure space at the convention centre, but the government wants to locate its offices there.

Recent buyer surveys by the council also found an overwhelming preference for the more centrally located Wan Chai venue over the new AsiaWorld-Expo near the airport.

This sentiment was echoed yesterday at the launch of the new venue's first trade show, the inaugural Hong Kong Spring Fair, which saw relatively few buyers compared to the Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, which opened yesterday at the convention centre.

Local premium gifts merchandiser Out of the Blue (Hong Kong) set up booths at both fairs.

Senior merchandiser Rain Chow, who manned the booth at AsiaWorld-Expo, said the company wanted to take part in the Spring Fair in the hope of landing new business. It also received discounts on the booth rental, which lowered the cost of a standard nine-square-metre space to $8,800 over the four-day event.

"After the first day, we're rather disappointed with the buyer response. We knew it would be somewhat quiet given the location and newness of the fair, but we didn't expect it to be that quiet," Ms Chow said.

AsiaWorld-Expo's chief commercial officer, Helen Chiu, said she was satisfied with the first day of the fair.

The Trade Development Council will stage five trade fairs at the new venue this year.

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January 17, 2006
Government Press Release
Fashion fairs' exhibitors up 20%

The number of participants at two fashion fairs has grown 20%, with 1,330 exhibitors from 25 countries and regions for Fashion Week. This makes it the largest garment trade fair in Asia and second in the world, the Trade Development Council says.

The World Boutique, Hong Kong 2006 has attracted 232 exhibitors showcasing more than 400 brands. The council has also invited buyers from all over the world to visit the two fairs. There are 54 missions, with a total of 1,800 people, visiting Fashion Week and 49 missions, a total of nearly 1,700 people, attending World Boutique.

The success of the fairs reflects the steady growth of Hong Kong's clothing exports.

Clothing exports hit US$25b

Total exports of clothing and accessories increased 9% in the first 11 months of 2005 to around US$25 billion, the council's Garment Advisory Committee Chairman Andrew Leung said.

"This demonstrates that Hong Kong is an important production centre for clothing and clothing accessories, as well as a centre for creative design."

Hong Kong's exports to three major markets - the US, the UK and Germany - have achieved considerable growth of 11%, 13% and 21%.

"The two events also highlight our ability to offer global one-stop service, all the way from design and production to marketing and distribution. Hong Kong manufacturers are gaining a reputation for excellent design because of their work for original design manufacturing and original equipment manufacturing customers as well as their own brands," Mr Leung added.

Both fairs are now being staged at the Convention & Exhibition Centre until January 20. More details are available here.

A total of 19 fashion runway shows and nine seminars focusing on industry news and trend information will be held. An on-site survey among exhibitors and buyers on their views about the growth of different markets and product trends will be carried out. The results will be announced on the last day of the two fairs.

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HK on the shortlist for aerospace spectacle
24 January 2006
South China Morning Post

Hong Kong is among a handful of cities shortlisted to host the Asian Aerospace civilian and military air show from 2008, an event that could contribute as much as $2 billion to the local economy every two years.

According to an executive close to the negotiations, Hong Kong is in a tight race with Shanghai and Bangkok to host the event, widely seen as the world's No3 air show behind Paris, and Farnborough in England. This year's event, organised by Reed Exhibitions, is being held from February 21 in Singapore and a decision on its successor is expected before then.

"There is recognition within Reed that they have to move with the market and one of the locations they are considering is Hong Kong. But there have also been strong proposals from Shanghai and Bangkok, in particular," the executive said.

The Thai government is said to be willing to pay to host Asian Aerospace, which it would use to showcase Bangkok's new US$3.7 billion international airport after it opens later this year.

A spokesman for Reed Exhibitions in Singapore would not confirm the frontrunners yesterday.

"[We] are in active negotiations with several alternative locations {hellip} and will make an announcement about the future location of Asian Aerospace as soon as we are able to conclude negotiations," he said.

Shanghai is also thought to be a strong contender because of the mainland's increasing aircraft purchases and its attractiveness to delegates.

The Hong Kong entry may have an Achilles heel, however. It is thought the city may have had to enter a joint bid with Zhuhai due to the sensitive nature of holding a military trade show in Hong Kong. Airport Authority executives did not return phone calls yesterday.

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HK attracts tech giants for top telecoms event
The triennial industry gathering, to be held outside Geneva for the first time, promises a big turnout of exhibitors and visitors
7 February 2006
South China Morning Post

Organisers of the International Telecommunication Union's triennial industry gathering to be held in Hong Kong in December have secured firm commitments from the largest and most influential technology companies in the world.

Huawei Technologies, ZTE and a pair of still unnamed mainland telecommunications carriers will lead the mainland commercial contingent at the most prestigious show on the industry's international calendar.

These firms join Microsoft, Samsung Electronics, Hitachi, Alcatel, LG Electronics, Ericsson and Fujitsu as the largest exhibitors to sign up for ITU Telecom World.

The premier telecoms event is being staged outside Geneva for the first time in more than 30 years.

ITU Telecom World will be held from December 4 to December 8 in an exhibition space of 66,000 square metres at AsiaWorld-Expo in Chek Lap Kok.

"All the major players will be here and we are running out of space," said Connie Lee Yun-man, a government official serving as Hong Kong, China Secretariat head of marketing and events for ITU Telecom World.

Ms Lee said a number of industry giants that skipped the event in Geneva had confirmed as exhibitors in Hong Kong. These included Texas Instruments, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Siemens, Alcatel and Ericsson.

A meeting for exhibitors will be held in Hong Kong next month, with about 200 corporate representatives expected to attend.

The ITU was aiming to secure about 800 exhibitor companies from 50 countries for the show, Ms Lee said.

ITU, a United Nations agency, expected to hit that number through the participation of more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as part of about a dozen select country pavilions.

Some of the pavilions already booked include the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada, Belgium, France, South Korea, Spain and the mainland, through the state-run trade and exhibitions group China National Postal and Telecommunications Appliances.

Ms Lee said exhibit planners could pack from 20 to 40 SMEs, each with their small booth, inside a pavilion.

Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau John Tsang Chun-wah announced in March last year that the government would open the event to a wider range of industries and smaller companies.

He said ITU Telecom World would include participants from the IT, digital entertainment, content and services provider sectors - all part of the telecommunications industry's expanded value chain.

"I can promise you it will be an event with a difference," he said.

The government has bet big on that promise. In 2003, Hong Kong beat competitors including Geneva, Milan, Istanbul and Algiers to host this year's ITU Telecom World. The government guaranteed firms from the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau a minimum of 215,280 sq ft of exhibition space at the show.

In December 2003, Mr Tsang presented legislators with a proposed $70 million bill for hosting the event. In 2004, after tough negotiations with senior ITU executives, that bill was increased to $87 million.

The money will cover promotional activities, and operational and administrative support.

The government's main argument for allocating more public funds to ITU Telecom World is the wider economic benefit expected to flow from the event. Officials estimate the show will attract 100,000 overseas visitors, generating economic benefits of about $1.2 billion from exhibition space rentals and hospitality-related spending.

Still, Hong Kong and mainland authorities are expected to launch a big marketing initiative over the next six months for major sponsorship deals to help cover the cost of ITU Telecom World.

The Ministry of Information Industry (MII), represented by vice-minister Jiang Yaoping, will lead that promotional push at the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona next week and at the World Telecommunication Development Conference next month in Doha, Qatar.

"With strong support from the central government, we hope to see a good turnout of potential sponsors at those cities," Ms Lee said.

She said the ability to sign up sponsors for ITU Telecom World had been helped by the cancellation of this October's PT/Expo Comm, the large annual trade show in Beijing the MII has agreed to shelve this year in support of the ITU event in Hong Kong.