Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO), Ms Emily Mo, attended the Lunar New Year Gala Dinner of the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (HKCBA) Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Section in Toronto on January 28. Ms Mo is the honourary chair of the event. The gala was graced by the presence of dignitaries including Acting Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto, Ms Hong Hong, retired Senator of Canada, the Honourable Dr Vivienne Poy; Member of Provincial Parliament Billy Pang, Mayor David West, Deputy Mayors Michael Chan and Godwin Chan. Around 400 guests attended the dinner.
In her opening remarks at the gala, Ms Mo updated participants that Hong Kong is on the path of orderly and progressive reopening. “We completely cancelled the hotel quarantine requirement, host major business, sports and cultural events, and have travel with the Mainland resumed. Hong Kong’s vibrancy is now fully back,” she said.
Ms Mo moved on to highlight Hong Kong’s achievement despite the challenges brought by pandemic. “Hong Kong continued to be recognised as the world’s freest economy, the world’s third global financial centre and the fifth most competitive economy,” Ms Mo said.
With the support of the Mainland, Hong Kong is boosting its niche as a global offshore Renminbi hub, an international asset management centre and risk management centre. Ms Mo encouraged Canadian businesses looking for capital to tap on the opportunities bought by the expanding mutual access between the financial markets of the Mainland and Hong Kong.
Ms Mo noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has launched new institutional setups and initiatives to attract enterprises, investment and talents to enhance the city’s competitiveness. “The Top Talent Pass Scheme was launched to facilitate the world’s top 100 university graduates to develop their career in Hong Kong. Our office’s newly established Dedicated Team for Attracting Business and talents will launch our promotion in Canada in 2023,” Ms Mo added.
Lastly, Ms Mo highlighted the enormous business opportunities brought about by the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the unparalleled advantages of using Hong Kong as a platform to tap into the vast markets of the Mainland of China and beyond.
On January 26, Ms Mo also attended the Lunar New Year Gala Dinner held by the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs. She shared with the guests on how Hong Kong could be the ideal platform for Canadian companies to expand their businesses and seek new opportunities in Mainland China and the rest of Asia.
On these very happy occasions, Ms Mo wished all participants a happy and prosperous Year of the Rabbit.
香港經貿處處長出席新春晚宴
香港駐多倫多經濟貿易辦事處（香港經貿處）處長巫菀菁於一月二十八日出席港加商會大多倫多地區分會於多倫多舉行的農曆新春晚宴，並擔任晚宴的榮譽主席。約四百人出席晚宴，嘉賓包括中國駐多倫多代總領事洪紅、加拿大榮休參議員利德蕙博士、安省省議員彭錦威、市長David West、副市長陳國治及陳志輝。
巫菀菁於晚宴致辭時，向與會嘉賓介紹香港已經逐步有序重開。她表示：「香港已經全面取消酒店檢疫要求，並舉辦大型商貿、體育及文化活動，以及開始恢復與內地通關，香港的活力再現。」
巫菀菁同時強調，雖然疫情帶來挑戰，但期間香港仍有不少成就。她說：「香港連續獲評選為全球最自由經濟體、全球第三大金融中心及第五大最具競爭力經濟體。」
在中國內地的支持下，香港正提升其全球離岸人民幣樞紐、國際資產管理和風險管理中心的地位。巫菀菁鼓勵尋求融資的加拿大企業把握內地與香港之間不斷發展的互聯互通金融市場所帶來的機遇。
巫菀菁表示，香港特別行政區政府推出了新體制架構，實施一系列新措施，招商引資引才，強化香港競爭力。巫菀菁補充說：「『高端人才通行證計劃』旨在爭取全球百強大學畢業生到香港發展事業。香港經貿處新成立的『招商引才專組』於二O二三年會在加拿大全力推廣有關計劃。」
最後，巫菀菁特別強調國家《十四五規劃綱要》帶來的龐大商機，以及善用香港作為平台開拓中國內地及其他地區龐大市場的無可比擬優勢。
此外，巫菀菁於一月二十六日出席了創業協進會舉辦的農曆新春晚宴。她向與會嘉賓分享香港是加拿大公司在中國內地和亞洲其他地區擴展業務及尋找新機遇的理想平台。
巫菀菁在新春晚宴上向賓客拜年，祝賀兔年百業興旺，萬事勝意。
