HK trade body promises security for Filipino guests

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) urged Filipino companies to participate in trade fairs in Hong Kong, saying precautionary measures are in place amid social unrest in the Asian financial hub.

The HKTDC is hosting two of the world’s largest trade fairs for electronics and lighting in Hong Kong in October.

Buyers from all over the world usually attend these events to source from thousands of suppliers registered as exhibitors in the Hong Kong Electronics Fair and Hong Kong International Lighting Fair.

According to HKTDC executive director Benjamin Chau, a total of over 800 Filipino buyer companies participated in the two events last year. But there was little to none Filipino exhibitor in the two fairs.

“Our shows are more relevant to small and medium companies. These Filipino companies lack resources so I hope relevant authority can support them more financially to join overseas promotion,” he said.

Chau does not know yet how many Filipino companies would participate in the two events, but he assured that HKTDC has taken security measures to assist their exhibitors and buyers.

Pro-democracy protests that began in June has become a new normal in Hong Kong, sometimes disrupting major operations such as at the airport.

Yet, HKTDC—a statutory body created in 1966 to develop Hong Kong trade—continued to organize nine trade fairs from July to September.

Chau said safety measures include a bus service that would shuttle buyers and exhibitors from the airport to the hotel and exhibition center.

“When many people are skeptical about coming to Hong Kong, they are afraid that their life will be threatened. They are afraid that they will be caught by the demonstration,” he said.

“I know that under this critical moment, they don’t want to stay too long in Hong Kong. We want to fully make use of their time and make their time more efficient, so we do a lot of matching for them,” he added.