Support Services to Hong Kong Industries

Hong Kong is the strategic control centre of a regional-wide manufacturing network as well as a prominent international and regional services hub. The Trade and Industry Department (TID) is committed to providing maximum support for Hong Kong's manufacturing and services sectors within the framework of a free economy.

Aims

The Industries Support Division of TID provides general industrial support services. In providing support to the industrial sector, the Industries Support Division aims to -

• facilitate access to information and services needed by industries for their further development;
  
• ensure the availability of infrastructure and resources; such as industrial land, to meet the needs of industry;
  
• assist industries to cope with various environmental requirements; and
  
• promote excellence in industry and services by providing steer to the organization of the Hong Kong Awards for Industries

Means

The aims are achieved through programmes and activities to -

• maintain liaison with local trade and industrial organizations;
  
• collect information on Hong Kong's industrial development;
  
• Organise trade and industry delegation to participate in "Hong Kong Week" activities (in Chinese Only);
  
• participate in various territorial and sub-regional land use planning studies;
  
• work closely with the Vocational Training Council in monitoring the demand and supply of manpower for industry and help ensure that industry needs for manpower are properly addressed by its courses and curricula;
  
• disseminate relevant information on the Pollution Control Legislation Affecting Industries;
  
• provide steer to the Secretariat of the Hong Kong Awards for Industries in the organization of the awards scheme; and
  
• provide secretariat support to the Working Group on Industrial, Commercial and Professional Sectors under the Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee.

There are about 180 000 persons engaged in manufacturing activities, accounting for 5% of Hong Kong's total workforce. Of the about 15 000 manufacturing establishments, over 98% employ fewer than 100 persons. Since the 1980s, Hong Kong manufacturers have begun to move their labour intensive operations in Hong Kong to the Mainland and other low-cost economies in the region. By one count, Hong Kong companies employ about 11 million workers in Guangdong alone.

The relocation of lower skilled and lower value-added activities to other areas has released more resources for carrying out higher value-added and knowledge-intensive activities in Hong Kong, such as R&D, prototype production, innovative design, technological application, supply chain management, logistics and marketing. Hong Kong has assumed the role of a strategic control centre to oversee the relocated manufacturing operations. For more information on Hong Kong industries, please click the following links:

• Profiles of Hong Kong's major manufacturing and services industries
  
• Technology aspect of different industries

The Directory of Hong Kong Trade and Industrial Organizations, compiled by the Trade and Industry Department, provides quick reference on organizations in the trade and industry sectors in Hong Kong. The organizations covered are mainly chambers of commerce, trade and industrial associations, government funded organizations and professional bodies.