Ventures Dialogue

This mission is designed for participation by those Canadian companies which are involved in natural health products, life sciences, and health care and are interested in expanding their business to China and Hong Kong. 

Co-organized by the Consulate General of Canada in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), this mission aims at assisting participants to find potential business and partnership opportunities, access to targeted business networks and first-hand market intelligence.

This initiative is supported by BioNova, Nova Scotia’s Biotechnology and Life Sciences Industry Association, the Canadian Advanced Foods and Materials Network (AFMNet), Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA), Monte Jade Science & Technology Association, Western Canada, Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI), Western Canadian Functional Food & Natural Health Product Network (WCFN) as well as the Provincial Governments of Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Highlights of the programmes include: a special programme consisting of briefing session, roundtable discussion, pre-arranged one-on-one business meetings, site visits and networking activities on August 12, 2009, and participation in the International Conference & Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM) starting on August 13. There is no registration fee required for joining this mission. Delegates are responsible for their respective airfares, hotel accommodation and incidental expenses. Group programmes will be sponsored. Delegates are also eligible to apply for partial hotel accommodation sponsorships. For the full announcement and registration form of this mission, interested parties please contact Adrian Cheng or Jill Chien of HKTDC Toronto Office at Tel. No.: (416) 366-3594 or email: adrian.ch.cheng@hktdc.org, jill.chien@tdc.org.hk. The full announcement of the mission can also be available from the following website: http://202.64.102.92/hktdc/download.php?fid=_phpsVSgCA

The registration deadline is July 3, 2009.   

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The sixth edition of HKTDC Summer Sourcing Show for Gifts, Houseware and Toys, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held from July 6 to 9, 2009 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. A major mid-year sourcing event, the fair allows international buyers to place last-minute orders for the coming holiday season and size up global market trends.

In 2008, Summer Sourcing Show attracted nearly 20,000 buyers from 83 countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. Buyers from emerging markets, including Brazil, India, the Middle East, Russia and South Africa also took part in the fair. Continue reading ‘Canadian Buying Mission to Summer Sourcing Show in Hong Kong, July 6-9, 2009′

 ”China is emerging as fertile ground for green investment.  The Asian nation needs Canadian technology.  But not for much longer.” 

So reads the first line of “Clean and green China“, by Andrew Wahl from Canadian Business Online.  David Fung, CEO of ACDEG Group is quoted in the article as saying: 

“But if our companies stay home, they will face the furor of rising Chinese competition within the not-too-distant future.” 

Photo by sheilaz413

Stockwell Day, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, sees Hong Kong as a springboard to the great business opportunities of China. Leading a trade mission to China last month, the Minister expects trade relations between the two countries to more than triple in the next decade.

During his stay in Hong Kong, he was interviewed by the HKTDC Editor. A webcast interview and an article have subsequently been produced. To share the Minister’s advice, below are the links to the hktdc.com webcast interview and to the e-Hong Kong Trader article:

Webcast interview:

http://www.hktdc.com/info/webcast/en/webcast.htm

Hong Kong Trader article “City of Hope”:

http://www.hktdc.com/info/mi/hkti/en/index.htm

The Hong Kong Trader is a weekly e-publication featuring news and insights that matter to business, with a focus on dynamic Hong Kong and the rapidly evolving Chinese mainland market. Interested parties can subscribe to the Hong Kong Trader on a complimentary basis, and customize their newsfeed to the industries and areas of their interest. Below is the link to the subscription page:

http://info.hktdc.com/enews_en/index.asp 

Wine and beer consumption in Asia especially in China has been drastically increasing. Wine imports in China increased by 250% between 2006 and 2008.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council invites you to attend a free informational Web seminar about the China wine and beer market and learn how to tap into the China market using Hong Kong as a gateway.

Speakers will include:

Market overview, Ms. Christine Kwok, Actrium Solutions
Best practices for exporting, Mr. Daniel Giavina, U.S. Commercial Service
Available marketing opportunities, Ms. Josephine Lam, Manager, Hong Kong Trade Development Council

Topic: HKTDC Wine Presentation
Host: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Date and Time:
May 21, 2009 3:30 pm, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00)
May 21, 2009 4:30 pm, Mountain Daylight Time (Denver, GMT-06:00)
May 21, 2009 6:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
May 22, 2009 6:30 am, China Time (Beijing, GMT+08:00)

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To register for the online event
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1. Go to https://hktdcla.webex.com/hktdcla/onstage/g.php?d=666930890&t=a&EA=julia.h.son%40hktdc.org&ET=f81a970662f599541d0727a1a1d9444e&ETR=9c2fbb44ce54352169803c87b0b2c329&RT=MiM0&p
2. Click “Register”.
3. Complete the registration form, and then click “Submit“.

Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.

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For assistance
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You can contact Teresa Hung at: Teresa.m.hung@hktdc.org  

http://www.webex.com

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This WebEx service includes a feature that allows audio and any documents and other materials exchanged or viewed during the session to be recorded. By joining this session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to the recording, do not join the session.

Chinese Character" in traditaional Chinese on the left, simplified Chinese on the right.

There is an interesting article  from the Economist.com, a news agency, about China’s plans to revise their written, character-based language.  An expert reads:

“fierce debate is now being rekindled with the government’s announcement of plans to issue later this year a new list of character modifications, aimed mainly at correcting certain “oversimplifications” undertaken in the past. ”

The article cites some contend that these changes go beyond standardizing the language, but speak to a greater concern to that of alterations to China’s cultural identity.  Others go a bit further, and point out that changes to the system mean added costs for such things as updating signs, textbooks, and software.

For a little background, Cantonese and Mandarin are the two main spoken Chinese languages.  In total, there are about seven main variations including Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, and other minority languages.  While the spoken language has evolved over the years, the written language on the other hand has not varied as much. 

For the Chinese system, the characters are called hanzi, and are traditionally ordered and and read vertically.  The characters themselves are divided into two systems: traditional and simplified.  The former is used in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and most other Chinese communities, save for Singapore and Malaysia.  The traditional form dates back to the Han Dynasty Western Han (202 BCE-9 CE) and Eastern Han (25-220 CE).  The simplified system, on the other hand, was created in the late 1950s under Mao Zedong to encourage universal literacy.

Photo from Wikipedia.

Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon is midway through a visit to China, having just finished his visit to Beijing.  While there he met with both his Chinese Counterpart, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping. 

According to a government release, Cannon “noted that Canada wants a frank, friendly and forward-looking relationship with China, and that the upcoming 40th anniversary of bilateral relations offered an excellent opportunity to highlight Sino-Canadian ties.

Minister Yang expressed China’s appreciation for Canada’s assistance and support, and also reiterated China’s invitation to Prime Minister Harper to visit China at a mutually convenient time.”

Read the Government of Canada’s release here.  And an article in China View, an online Chinese publication here.