HK to serve as gateway for Slovak's business co-op with Mainland: official

Hong Kong could be a gateway for Slovak's business cooperation with the Chinese mainland, as it has a shared language and culture and decades of experience working together, said a Hong Kong official on Monday when meeting with visiting President of the Slovak Republic.

President Ivan Gasparovic headed a delegation of some 40 major government and business leaders, the biggest and most senior Slovak business delegation to visit Hong Kong.

The delegation was welcomed by Hong Kong business groups at a luncheon held by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) on Monday at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

HKTDC Executive Director Fred Lam said at the event that the trade between Slovak and the Chinese mainland is growing fast.

Lam said more and more companies were becoming aware of Slovak' s promise both as a market and as a gateway, given its strategic position at the heart of Europe.

According to Lam, the total trade in the first two quarters of this year between Slovak and Hong Kong alone rose almost 70 percent to more than 109 million U.S. dollars.

"We can also help Slovak companies find funding and business partners on the Chinese mainland," he said.

Taking the example of the Watch and Clock Fair which kicked off Monday morning, Lam said trade fairs in Hong Kong were major attractions for Chinese mainland buyers.

Last year, nearly 125,000 mainland buyers visited trade fairs, said Lam, adding that a total of 18 million mainland visitors came to the city during the period.

Source:Xinhua