HK logistics mission scores highly with NZ’s industry
Cargo Archive Stories Issue #218
Wednesday, 03 October 2012
A HIGH-powered trade mission from Hong Kong to New Zealand recently scored a triple success: Building trade in both directions while at the same time bolstering the logistics framework to make it all happen smoothly.
Four successes, in fact: The mission participants also set out to strengthen the role of Hong Kong as a two-way portal for trade with mainland China and Macau. Indicative of the logistics aspect of the mission – with air cargo likely to benefit substantially – was the choice of Willy Lin as co-leader in tandem with Margaret Fong. Fong is deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which organised the mission. Lin is chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers’ Council, a peak industry body which has done much to create a level playing field for shippers and service providers, in the air cargo sector as well as maritime and land transport.
He said the mission’s objectives included sharing supply chain intelligence to build a better platform for distribution of New Zealand food and wine via Hong Kong. During their visit to New Zealand, the group spent some time looking at operations at Auckland International Airport and its logistics ‘city’, as well as calling on logistics companies and port facilities. Interaction with members of the Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Federation was a highly useful aspect of the program, according to mission participants. Also indicative of the mission’s status was HKTDC’s choice of Fong as co-leader. She is the trade organisation’s deputy executive director and has an impressive background in transport and tourism as well as trade. She has held senior positions in Hong Kong and represented the SAR in the United States.
Among others in the 15-strong delegation was Alex Chu, China beachhead adviser for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. Bonnie Shek, HKTDC’s well known (and popular) director for Australia and New Zealand, said the food and wine logistics services mission was a ‘first’ for which her organisation had high hopes. “I’ve been in this role for eight years and it’s the first time a mission like this has been organised. It’s quite exciting, actually!” While she and HKTDC were confident the project would generate major ongoing business eventually, it was appreciated that more work remained to be done. “It’s a first step, linking up companies.” Shek said that HKTDC hoped a reciprocal mission to Hong Kong could be organised, suggesting that an ideal platform would be at the time of the Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference in November, an event which is also organised by HKTDC. Identifying partnership and collaborative marketing opportunities for the China market was an important aspect of the mission, Shek pointed out. “Companies are looking beyond Hong Kong.” On the web: www.hktdc.com
HK logistics mission scores highly with NZ’s industry
Cargo Archive Stories Issue #218
Wednesday, 03 October 2012
A HIGH-powered trade mission from Hong Kong to New Zealand recently scored a triple success: Building trade in both directions while at the same time bolstering the logistics framework to make it all happen smoothly.
Four successes, in fact: The mission participants also set out to strengthen the role of Hong Kong as a two-way portal for trade with mainland China and Macau. Indicative of the logistics aspect of the mission – with air cargo likely to benefit substantially – was the choice of Willy Lin as co-leader in tandem with Margaret Fong. Fong is deputy chief executive of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which organised the mission. Lin is chairman of the Hong Kong Shippers’ Council, a peak industry body which has done much to create a level playing field for shippers and service providers, in the air cargo sector as well as maritime and land transport.
He said the mission’s objectives included sharing supply chain intelligence to build a better platform for distribution of New Zealand food and wine via Hong Kong. During their visit to New Zealand, the group spent some time looking at operations at Auckland International Airport and its logistics ‘city’, as well as calling on logistics companies and port facilities. Interaction with members of the Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Federation was a highly useful aspect of the program, according to mission participants. Also indicative of the mission’s status was HKTDC’s choice of Fong as co-leader. She is the trade organisation’s deputy executive director and has an impressive background in transport and tourism as well as trade. She has held senior positions in Hong Kong and represented the SAR in the United States.
Among others in the 15-strong delegation was Alex Chu, China beachhead adviser for New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. Bonnie Shek, HKTDC’s well known (and popular) director for Australia and New Zealand, said the food and wine logistics services mission was a ‘first’ for which her organisation had high hopes. “I’ve been in this role for eight years and it’s the first time a mission like this has been organised. It’s quite exciting, actually!” While she and HKTDC were confident the project would generate major ongoing business eventually, it was appreciated that more work remained to be done. “It’s a first step, linking up companies.” Shek said that HKTDC hoped a reciprocal mission to Hong Kong could be organised, suggesting that an ideal platform would be at the time of the Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference in November, an event which is also organised by HKTDC. Identifying partnership and collaborative marketing opportunities for the China market was an important aspect of the mission, Shek pointed out. “Companies are looking beyond Hong Kong.” On the web: www.hktdc.com
