Press Release

Hong Kong hosts APEC SME Working Group meeting
Wednesday, June 9, 2010

The Trade and Industry Department today (June 9) hosted the 30th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group (SMEWG) meeting in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The two-day meeting showcases Hong Kong and APEC's efforts in helping SMEs in the region to embrace challenges and gain better access to the international market.

Addressing the start of the SMEWG meeting this afternoon, the Director-General of Trade and Industry, Ms Maria Kwan, pointed out that the APEC SMEWG was a major forum for regional cooperation, cross-fertilisation of visions, and an important powerhouse for regional cooperation projects.

"SMEs today are positioning themselves for growth after the challenges brought about by the global financial crisis. In the light of the growing consensus that the Asia Pacific region is perhaps the most promising economic powerhouse that will drive economic growth globally, the growth of SMEs in this region will no doubt be among the accelerators speeding up such growth.

"The meeting, and indeed the work of the working group, is important not only to all member economies but also to all SMEs in the APEC family," Ms Kwan added.

With this year's theme "Strategy for Reinvigorating Economic Growth with Dual Engine: SME and Asia-Pacific Economy", the SMEWG meeting and its related activities attracted over 100 delegates from APEC member economies. During the meeting, APEC members will exchange views on how to foster the development of SMEs in the region. The meeting will also pave the way for the 17th SME Ministerial Meeting to be held in Gifu, Japan, in October this year.

Three workshops on related topics, namely, "Daegu Initiative First Cycle Assessment Workshop" (June 7), "APEC SMEWG Pandemic Influenza Train the Trainer Workshop" (June 8) and "Capacity Building Workshop on Ease of Doing Business: Employing Workers" (June 9) were successfully held on the margins of the meeting.

APEC was established in 1989 to further enhance economic growth and prosperity for the region and to strengthen economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. APEC has 21 member economies - Australia; Brunei Darussalam; Canada; Chile; the People's Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Japan; the Republic of Korea; Malaysia; Mexico; New Zealand; Papua New Guinea; Peru; the Republic of the Philippines; Russia; Singapore; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the United States and Vietnam.

Ends