The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) marked its 60th anniversary by unveiling two major optimizations: a corporate restructuring based on industry clusters and a reallocation of global resources to tap into emerging markets. Chairman Professor Frederick Ma announced the initiatives, which aim to enhance efficiency, drive innovation, and help Hong Kong companies capture opportunities in high-growth regions such as Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
In response to changing geopolitics, supply chain reconfigurations, and the rise of new technology, the HKTDC has reorganized its services around six sector clusters: Finance and Professional Services; Global Network and Supply Chain; Technology and Digital Innovation; Wellness and Creative Industries; Consumer Goods and Lifestyle; and Corporate Development. Executive Director Sophia Chong stated that the cluster approach enhances operational efficiency and sector knowledge, enabling the council to provide comprehensive, integrated solutions through a single point of contact for companies seeking market intelligence, exhibitions, conferences, overseas missions, investor matching, or market expansion.
On the resource optimization front, the HKTDC operates 51 offices worldwide and is now reconfiguring its global network to focus on high-growth markets. Professor Ma highlighted that the Chief Executive's successful mission to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in June opened doors for Hong Kong enterprises, so the council will enhance its consultant office in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to strengthen support in Central Asia. In the Middle East, resources will be bolstered at the consultant office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. To leverage opportunities from the economic corridor spanning Central Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, a new consultant office will be established in Cairo, Egypt, enhancing the organization's presence in Africa. Additionally, in support of the Belt and Road Initiative, capabilities will be strengthened in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile (also overseeing Peru) to capture opportunities in the Global South.
In ASEAN, the HKTDC will strengthen promotional work and support in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines, while enhancing capabilities in Istanbul and Warsaw. For traditional markets, the council will maintain two-way trade and investment with North America, encouraging U.S. and Canadian enterprises to participate in HKTDC activities. It will also promote economic cooperation and cultural exchange across Asia, Europe, and Africa, while expanding the London office's responsibilities to oversee the Nordic markets.
Looking ahead, the HKTDC aims to keep pace with changes in the global economic and trading landscape, leveraging Hong Kong's strengths as a superconnector and super value-adder. It will support Chinese Mainland enterprises in utilizing Hong Kong's international advantages to go global and encourage more international companies to use Hong Kong as a base for global expansion. The initiatives align with Hong Kong's first Five-Year Plan and contribute to the country's development, according to Professor Ma.
