FINANCIAL CHRONICLE – A seminar and networking dinner held in Colombo sought to enhance trade, investment, and business relationships between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong. The event attracted exporters and business leaders eager to identify new commercial prospects.

This initiative was spearheaded by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Jakarta, along with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL).

Participants included representatives from various sectors, such as apparel, handicrafts, information and communication technology (ICT), software development, boat manufacturing, gemstones, food, and tea. They engaged in discussions aimed at increasing the reach of Sri Lankan products and services into Hong Kong, Mainland China, and broader international markets.

The talks also addressed investment facilitation, strategies for international market entry, participation in trade fairs, business summits, and the potential for Sri Lankan businesses to forge stronger ties with Hong Kong and Chinese firms.

Hillwan Brahmanda, who leads Business and Talent Attraction as well as Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong’s Jakarta Office, presented opportunities for investment facilitation in Hong Kong and introduced the GoGlobal initiative, which emphasizes Hong Kong’s role in linking Chinese Mainland companies with global markets.

Vian Cheung, Director for South Asia and Thailand at HKTDC, underscored how Sri Lankan enterprises could leverage HKTDC’s vast network of international trade fairs and business summits to enhance their visibility and operations in foreign markets.

The EDB noted that the seminar served as a significant platform for strengthening economic and commercial ties between Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, reaffirming both parties’ commitment to exploring new opportunities for trade, investment, and collaborative business efforts.