Newly appointed chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Ma Shiheng: Committed to five major developments, planning to explore the African market, etc.

On June 9th, Stephen Ma, the newly appointed chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, stated that there are five main areas of work after taking office, including exploring the construction of exhibition venues in the northern metropolitan area and reviewing the layout and positioning of the council's overseas offices. He mentioned that the council currently has 51 overseas offices and believes that adjustments can be made, such as expanding into the African market where there are currently only two offices. In the current geopolitical and trade war environment, he acknowledged that taking on the role of chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council will pose many challenges. However, he expressed confidence in working with colleagues to improve Hong Kong's trade performance. He emphasized Hong Kong's advantages as a duty-free port, capable of serving as a super connector and super value-added player. When it comes to expanding into new markets in the future, it will depend on the situation and research into specific industries. Ma also mentioned that he has proposed to the government to host the ASIA FINANCIAL forum in Hong Kong. However, since many organizations are already hosting similar events, he suggested reforming it into "ASIA FINANCIAL Forum Plus", introducing more industries beyond finance, and planning to hold it in January next year. They are also considering launching new forums, such as exploring the Middle Eastern market and hosting forums in Hong Kong.