Mar-Apr 2022
Dear Reader,
Over the past weeks and months, many of our members have shared their growing concerns with us about the pandemic situation in Hong Kong and related measures taken by the Government. We hope that Monday’s announcements mark an important first step in a positive direction for all of us, and we will continue to keep you informed about our ongoing exchanges with decision-makers on the way out of the prolonged uncertainty. Read more on the latest developments below.
In this issue you will also read about the new amfori Quality Management Initiative, developed in partnership with GCC Hong Kong, as well as recent updates on the Employment Support Scheme, industry insights from our partner GTAI, and more.
As always, we thank you for your continuing support and look forward to receiving your feedback.
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay well!
Your GIC/GCC Team |
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| amfori Launches New QMI Platform in China, Developed in Partnership with GCC Hong Kong |
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Quality management is a key element of every global supply chain. Companies invest a considerable amount of time and resources into supplier audit programmes to ensure the highest production quality for customers worldwide. In the absence of an industry-wide standard, however, many non-food retailers and importers rely on self-developed checklists and grading systems to conduct individual supplier quality audits, despite often sharing similar requirements and overlapping supplier bases.
To help companies in the non-food FMCG and retail industry improve their quality management capabilities, amfori is launching a new service in the Chinese sourcing market: The amfori QMI platform, developed in partnership with the German Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong (GCC) and the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA), provides a standardised set of tools in order to avoid duplicated efforts and enable more efficient and sustainable supplier audits. |
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| Effective 1 April 2022, the compulsory hotel quarantine period for international arrivals will be shortened to 7 days, subject to negative rapid antigen tests on days 6 and 7, and the ban on passenger flights from 9 countries will be lifted. “We believe this is an important first step towards putting Hong Kong back on the map,” GCC President Johannes Hack said to Bloomberg. Visit our website for an overview of the latest travel information and relevant links. |
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| On 18 March 2022, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced the relaunch of the Employment Support Scheme (“ESS”), which was first implemented in 2020. A new round of subsidies worth HK$31 billion will be made available to support SMEs that have been particularly affected by Hong Kong’s fifth wave of COVID-19. Applications for the ESS are expected to open in April 2022. GCC member Mazars provides a breakdown of the latest ESS announcement. |
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| The Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Paul MP Chan, delivered his 2022-23 Budget Speech on 23 February, introducing measures worth well over HK$170bn to fight against the ongoing pandemic, support individuals and industries, and develop new infrastructure. Read executive summaries, commentaries, and in-depth analyses by members of GCC, ahead of the Joint Business Community Webinar with the Hon. Paul Chan on 23 March. |
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| Hong Kong is one of the most important trading hubs in Asia with an import and export volume of US$1.3 trillion in 2021. Many German companies in the consumer goods and retail industry have their regional headquarters in the city. However, Hong Kong also offers a lucrative domestic sales market for premium products “Made in Germany”, especially in the medical technology and automotive sectors. Insights from GTAI (in German). |
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Looking for a New Challenge?
Check out our DE Job Market for current openings: - Human Resources Manager
- Head of Finance
- Business Development & Marketing Internships
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GCC Sustainability Series |
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The ongoing series of monthly seminars under the motto "Green Solutions from Germany" aims to promote the concept of responsible use of resources in every aspect of our daily lives, both as an integral part of our business philosophy and as global citizens. |
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Join our upcoming sessions on 29 March and 12 April, and gain first-hand insights into ESG ratings and pathways to a circular economy, respectively. Click below to sign up! |
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GIC/GCC Supporting Events
Economist Impact: Asia Trade Week | 21-24 March
Returning for a third year, Asia Trade Week 2022 will gather 3,000+ industry leaders for 4 days of exclusive insights into pertinent questions as well as reasons for optimism about the future of Asian trade. | Register now
Annual Conference on Social Impact Investment & Sustainability (SIIS 2022) | 23-24 April
The conference includes one main forum and three high-end roundtable dialogues, covering ten topics including ESG, carbon neutral and metaverse related government management, rule of law and environment, social responsibility, investment and finance, manufacturing and production, research and technology, certification and trading, green consumption, sustainable procurement and global collaboration. | Info & Registration
The HKIE Environmental Division Annual Forum | 28 April
Organised by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers - Environmental Division, and themed "Engineering Net Zero Transition", this forum aims to discuss and demonstrate engineers’ roles in a new ecosystem that could help Hong Kong’s net zero transition. It will focus on innovative engineering solutions in the three sectors of i) energy; ii) building and construction; and iii) logistics and transportation. | Info & Registration |
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| cargo-partner is a privately owned full-range info-logistics provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of air, sea, land transport and warehousing services, with special expertise in IT and supply chain optimisation. |
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One World Spirit Association is a registered non-profit making organisation that promotes multiculturalism, organises courses and cultural events under the motto “Harmony in Diversity.” |
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TecPal are a team of UX/UI designers, engineers, and software specialists based in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, who are excited by the homes of the future, envisioning a seamless way of living that connects, delights, and empowers customers. |
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VestAsia Hong Kong is a commercial real estate brokerage and consultancy firm specialising in conflict-free tenant representation. The company assists MNC in the setting up, relocation, and leasing of their office spaces and branches in Hong Kong and across South East Asia. |
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New Primary Corporate Representatives
- BASF East Asia Regional Headquarters Ltd. – Dr. Ketan Joshi, Senior Vice President, Petrochemicals Asia Pacific
- Fangda Partners – Mr. Joe Scheu, Associate
- Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong – Mr. Christopher Chia, General Manager
- Kaufland Hong Kong Ltd. – Mr. Markus Beck, Managing Director
- OBI Group Sourcing Hong Kong Ltd. – Mr. Stefan Loewe, Director
Find all 2021-22 representative changes at a glance here. |
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| ...Hong Kong used to have an official time ball? |
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Time has always been of the essence in Hong Kong. As one of Asia’s most important maritime hubs, Hong Kong has seen some rather unconventional timekeeping methods being used over the years to ensure seafarers and traders always stayed in sync, the most illustrious example arguably being Jardine Matheson’s Noonday Gun in Causeway Bay.
Between the 1880s and early 1930s, the Hong Kong Observatory employed another curious device to indicate the official time in the city: A so-called ‘time ball’. The first of its kind was installed on the Royal Navy vessel HMS Victor Emmanuel in 1882, before a larger ball was mounted a few years later atop the former Marine Police Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui. Each day at 12.50 pm, the 6-ft-diameter ball would drop, signaling a new day and allowing sailors to set their marine chronometers accordingly.
In 1908, the time ball was moved eastwards to the newly built Signal Tower on Blackhead Point – the highest point in TST at the time – where it would remain in service for a quarter of a century. Starting from 1920, the ball even dropped twice daily. By the 1930s, the emergence of radio telegraphy had rendered the time ball obsolete, and it was finally taken down in 1933. The abandoned Signal Tower was eventually restored in the 1970s and officially declared a monument in 2015. Meanwhile, the original Time Ball Tower (pictured) also remains in place to this day, as part of the renovated Heritage 1881 complex. |
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Contact
Any questions or comments? Reach out to us:
Hendrik Hillebrecht Manager, Communications & Committees
T: +852 2526 5481 | D: +852 2532 1218 |
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