Hong Kong – Bringing You to China’s Markets

Seminar on Business and Trade in Hong Kong and China

Thursday, June 10, 2004

8:00am - 11:15am (breakfast)

Hilton Long Beach Hotel, Long Beach, CA 90831

With the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA), 90% of Hong Kong domestic exporters to the Chinese Mainland can enjoy zero tariffs. CEPA also opens up long-term opportunities for 18 service industries in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's crucial location at the doorstep of southern China's booming Pearl River Delta (PRD), a region of global economic significance both as a cost-cutting manufacturing basin and an emerging market, makes it a strategic partner for any company interested in sourcing, producing and selling in China.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, World Trade Center Association Long Beach, Hong Kong Association of Southern California and the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce organized a unique seminar on doing business with Hong Kong and China.

Following the video presentation, Portals and Gateways, Mr. Lee K. Harrington, President, World Trade Center Association Long Beach, recognized the event organizers in his Opening Remarks. With the trend for businesses to go internationally, Mr. Harrington shared his feeling that one important thing in business is relationship and Hong Kong has the advantage to bridge what’s in China and outside of China.

In his keynote presentation, Mr. Anthony Wong, Director, Los Angeles, Hong Kong Trade Development Council discussed the advantages of exploring the Greater China market using Hong Kong as a platform and examined some of the attractive features of CEPA.

By show of hands, most of the attendees indicated their keen interest in developing business in the Greater China market.

Some 150 special guests and business executives from the Long Beach and South Bay areas attended the program.

Panel Discussion: Business Opportunities and Experiences in Doing Business with Hong Kong and China

A panel of prominent business executives was invited to share personal and business experiences, challenges and success stories in doing business with Hong Kong and China.

Mr. David Jordan, Member of the International Business Committee of the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce, moderated the panel session, Business Opportunities and Experiences in Doing Business with Hong Kong and China.

Ms. Teresa Sedlar is the Vice President of Imports for Charlotte Russe, a specialty retailer operates more than 310 stores in the United States offering established and trendy fashions for women. Ms. Sedlar talked about the business model of the company, the benefits in using Hong Kong as a sourcing base and the flexibility in placing orders.

Mr. Chris Leu is the President of Daystar Capital Partners, a private investment banking firm in Los Angeles and Hong Kong. With his extensive experience in Hong Kong’s capital market, Mr. Leu believed that Hong Kong has better productivity than in China in addition to other facilities.

Mr. Charles Woo is the Co-owner and Chief Executive Officer of Megatoys, a toy manufacturing, import/export, wholesale, and retail company. The company has an office in Hong Kong and manufacturing plants in Shenzhen, China as well as in Los Angeles. Despite China’s rapid growth, manufacturers are still going to China for competitive prices but many American buyers still prefer to go Hong Kong to source for the convenience.

Mr. Sid Udashkin is Director of Exports of Morris National, a manufacturer, importer, and distributor of confectionary and cookie products throughout the United States and Canada. The company has been sourcing and producing its packaging products in China through Hong Kong and found the arrangement easier and less expensive.

Mr. Udashkin has served as President of the Azusa Chamber of Commerce, and Chair of the International Committee from 1999-2002. The Chamber was the supporting organization of the event.

Mr. Michael Ho manages the Southern California office of the Wells Fargo HSBC Trade Bank. Speaking from the view of his clients, including importers, exporters and U.S. subsidiaries of multi-national companies, China’s market is endless with inexpensive labor and materials but one weakness is the banking system changing operating environment and working with Hong Kong may eliminate some of the risks.

Mr. Al. W. Day, President of ATA Global & Associates, representing the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, was the master of ceremonies of the event.

Before the close of the first panel session, the key features of tdctrade.com were highlighted by Johnson Ng, Marketing Manager, Los Angeles Office, Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

After the intermission, Mr. Don Wylie, Managing Director of the Maritime Services Bureau for the Port of Long Beach delivered a brief presentation on the Port, and invited Mr. MK Wong of OOCL to kick off the second panel session, Vital Links – from Sourcing to Shelving.

Mr. MK Wong is Director of Marketing, TransPacific Trade, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), one of the world’s largest integrated international containerized transportation companies. In addition to his role as moderator, Mr. Wong also shared some statistics indicating increasing growth in Hong Kong/China and U.S. trade with the audience. OOCL (USA) was the major sponsor of the program.

Mr. Ian Sehgal is Director of Marketing and Strategic Alliances for the California based CargoSmart Limited, a leading multiple carrier portal and integration provider for the ocean container transportation industry. Mr. Sehgal discussed his company’s business model and its sourcing program for companies interested in doing business in China and Hong Kong. CargoSmart was also one of the event sponsors.

Mr. Johnny Ku is the Import Director of Tarrant Apparel Group dba Fashion Resource, a leading provider of private label apparel for specialty retail, mass merchants and national department store, importing apparel and textiles from all over the world including Hong Kong and China. He discussed his personal experiences in various transportation and logistics aspects of the industry in great depth.

Mr. Anthony On is the International Logistics Manager at Funai USA Corporation, a Japanese consumer electronics product company with manufacturing facilities in China and Malaysia, taking advantage of better information system, management and pricing in Hong Kong.

The attendees have found the program, speakers’ insights and networking opportunities most valuable in developing businesses in the Greater China market;

and the opportunity to take part in the Q&A session was particularly appreciated.

The above is one of the happy winners of “Guide to Doing Business with China" (a publication compiled by Guangdong Research Institute of Foreign Economic and Trade Relations for the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.) The publication is also available for purchase online at: http://bookshop.tdctrade.com.

Ms. Patricia Pagac of Cathay Pacific Airways conducted the drawing for an economy class Los Angeles/Hong Kong round trip air ticket and presented the prize to the double-lucky winner – who has already won a copy of the “Guide to Doing Business with China.”