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EVENT

Dialogue with Leader

Forum: HK and Shanghai Trade Collaboration

2009.08.21

In the wake of the global financial crisis and the increasing opportunity arose from the internationalization of Renminbi, the Better Hong Kong Foundation (the Foundation), Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) and Shanghai Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (SCPPC) jointly organized the Forum on “Hong Kong and Shanghai: Collaborative Development of International Trade Center and the Internationalization of Renminbi” on 21 August 2009 in Shanghai, to promote further collaboration between Hong Kong and Shanghai and specifically on international trade. It was the third forum that jointly organized every year by the three organizations. It was supported by Shanghai International Economic Exchange Foundation. Around 200 experts, scholars, government officials and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong and the Mainland attended the Forum.

The Foundation’s Executive Committee Chairman Mr. Ronnie Chan together with SCPPC Chairman Mr. Feng Guoqiang and SASS President Prof. Wang Ronghua officiated at the opening of the Forum. By the invitation of the Foundation, Ms. Margaret Ko, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive of Hang Seng Bank delivered a keynote speech entitled “Cross-border RMB Trade Settlement and Internationalization of RMB: Role of Hong Kong”. Other keynote speakers included Mr. Sha Hailin, Deputy Secretary General of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and Chairman of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, and Mr. Andrew Yao, SCPPC member and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Van Shung Chong Holdings Ltd.

To facilitate detail discussions, three sessions were followed.

– “Impact of the global financial crisis on the international trade centers in Hong Kong and Shanghai and the tackling strategies”;
– “Study of the policy structure for international trade centers and their business environment”; and 
– “Cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong on the promotion of the cross-border RMB trade settlement and the research of RMB internationalization”.

Nine speakers were invited to share their views on the topics. They included:
– Mr. Patrick Chan, Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs, Shanghai, the HKSAR Government;
– Prof. Tuan Chyan and Prof. Linda Ng of Chinese University of Hong Kong;
– Prof Zhang Hongming, Researcher of SASS, Councilor of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and member of CPCC
– Mr. Jacky Chung, Regional Director of Eastern & Central China, HKTDC
– Mr. Tse Kwok-leung, Head of Economic Research, Bank of China (Hong Kong)
– Mr. Dicky Yip, Executive Vice President of Bank of Communications
– Mr. T C Kwan, Executive Director & Chief Executive of the Bank of East Asia (China) Ltd; and
– Mr. He Liangliang, Deputy Director of Commentary Department, Phoenix TV

Ms. Karen Tang, Executive Director of the Foundation and Mr. Kwok Kwok-chuen, former Government Economist and Honorary Senior Research Fellow of University of Hong Kong were the moderators. Ms. Tang also chaired the concluding session of the Forum. Dr. Zuo Xuejin, Executive Vice-President of SASS made his remarks at the concluding session, by thanking the speakers and participants for sharing their insights, which will be submitted to the authorities in formulating relevant policies in the future. After the Forum, the Foundation hosted a dinner for the organizers and speakers.

PowerPoint presentations of some speakers have been uploaded onto the Foundation’s website.


(L to R)Mr. Sha Hailin, Mr. Ronnie Chan, Ms. Wu Youying, Mr. Feng Guoqin, Mr. Li Liangyuan, Mr. Wang Ronghua, Mr. Chen Haigang and Ms. Gao Meiqin


(L to R) Mr. Tse Kwok-leung, Ms. Karen Tang, Mr. Ronnie Chan, Mr. K C Kwok and Dr. Wang Chunxin


(L to R) Mr. K C Kwok, Mr. Ronnie Chan and Mr. Andrew Yao


(L to R) Mr. Sha Hailin, Ms. Margaret Ko and Mr. Ronnie Chan


Keynote Speech Session: (L to R) Moderator Prof. Zuo Xuejin and the three speakers Mr. Sha Hailin, Ms. Margaret Ko and Mr. Andrew Yao


Ms. Karen Tang chaired the closing ceremony while Prof. Zuo Xuejin concluded the conference