HKTDC Promotions in Paris and Milan Draw Over 2,300

	Some 600 businesspeople attended the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” symposium in Milan this morning. “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong,” the largest Hong Kong promotion ever to take place in France and Italy ended with the symposium in Milan today. Major events of the promotion attracted more than 2,300 French and Italian business leaders and government representatives
	Speaking at the Milan symposium, HKTDC Chairman Jack So said: “Hong Kong and the mainland China market have a great appetite for Italian products.”
	John Tsang, Hong Kong SAR Government Financial Secretary, promoted Hong Kong’s strengths as a business and financial centre in Asia
	In his speech, Marco Simoni, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Italy, said the country is planning economic reforms aimed at attracting more foreign investment. He said the  symposium and business matching meetings of “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” would help promote trade and cooperation between Italy and Hong Kong
	More than 100 guests from Italy and Hong Kong attended the Hong Kong Dinner in Milan. (From right): Margaret Fong, HKTDC Executive Director; Marco Simoni, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Italy; Jack So, Chairman HKTDC; John Tsang, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government; Maurizio Del Tenno, Undersecretary of Lombardy Region, Italy; Linda Lai, Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union
	Hong Kong Dinner in Milan held last night brought together some 100 political and business leaders from Hong Kong and Italy. HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong encouraged Italian firms to use the HKTDC’s global network to expand their business in Asia
	From left: Carlo Mazzi, Chairperson and Executive Director, Prada SpA; Hong Kong SAR Government Financial Secretary John Tsang; and James Thompson, Chairman and Founder, Crown Worldwide Group

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30 October 2014 – More than 2,300 business people from France and Italy took part in “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong”, the biggest Hong Kong promotion ever launched in France and Italy by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). The week-long promotion, which ends today, showcased Hong Kong’s business services advantages for French and Italian companies seeking opportunities in Asia, particularly on the Chinese mainland.

The opening of the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” symposium in Milan today (30 Oct) was attended by John Tsang, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government; Marco Simoni, Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister of Italy; and HKTDC Chairman Jack So.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr Simoni said that Italy is planning economic reforms aimed at attracting more foreign investment. He added that the main symposium and business matching meetings of “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” would help to promote trade and cooperation between Italy and Hong Kong, bringing economic growth and employment to the country.

Mr Simoni’s comments were echoed by Carlo Mazzi, Chairman and Executive Director of Prada SpA. Mr Mazzi said: "I can only be thankful to Hong Kong, which is in a few words, a happy marriage of the pragmatism of English common law and the efficiency of the Chinese people. My Italian colleagues should not be afraid at all."

During his speech, Mr So recalled the adventures of Marco Polo and his quest to do business along the old Silk Road between Italy and China in the 13^th Century. “Today, the flow of trade is in both directions,” Mr So said. “Hong Kong and the mainland China market have a great appetite for Italian products; ‘made in Italy’ represents good design and high quality and this covers the whole range of luxury products, fashion, cars, food and wine, and so on. One emerging trend is that Asian capital is investing in Italian companies. In fact, some famous Italian brands are listed or seeking listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange.”

Mr So described Milan as an ideal location for “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” because it is “the financial and business capital of Italy, just as Hong Kong is the financial hub of Asia.” He also encouraged Italian companies to leverage the global network of the HKTDC to tap into the Asian market.

Mr So, who also attended the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” symposium in Paris on 28 October, said the series of promotional events in France and Italy has been well-received by the business communities of both countries. He said that the success of the “Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” promotion revealed European companies’ interest in tapping business opportunities in Asia, and particularly in the Chinese mainland. The promotion spotlighted the advantages of Hong Kong’s professional services platform in helping European companies to succeed in Asia.

Notable Speakers
More than 600 business people attended the symposium in Milan this morning, which featured such high-profile speakers as Arrigo Berni, Chief Executive Officer, Moleskine; Fabio De Rosa, President, Italian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong & Macao and Xia Hua, Chairwoman, Eve Group, among others.

Hong Kong Dinner in Milan
Last night (29 Oct), HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong hosted the Hong Kong Dinner in Milan, which brought together 100 political and business leaders from Hong Kong and Italy. Mr Tsang and Mr Simoni were guests of honour.

“Think Asia, Think Hong Kong” highlighted Hong Kong’s advantages for businesses seeking opportunities in Asia. The promotion was supported by more than 60 Hong Kong partners and French and Italian organisations. More than 170 Hong Kong government officials, business leaders from various sectors, and delegates of five trade missions from such industries as technology, food and wine, and fashion, and Chinese outbound investment companies took part in the week-long programme, which included over 650 business matching meetings onsite.

Website
http://www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/eu

Video
www.thinkasiathinkhk.com/eu/en/intel_success_stories.html

Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Corporate Communication Department:

Parker Robinson    Tel: (852) 2584 4341 Email: parker.robinson@hktdc.org

About HKTDC
A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 global offices, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organises trade fairs and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in overseas markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online.  For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com.