Seminar Highlights Hong Kong as Key Gateway for Shandong Enterprises' Global Expansion

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Shanghai (SHETO) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), in collaboration with the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee and the Department of Commerce of Shandong Province, jointly hosted the "Hong Kong: The Preferred Platform for Shandong Enterprises to Go Global" seminar today (April 1) in Jinan, Shandong Province.

The event was supported by the Finance Office of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committeeand the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Shandong Province, and was co-organised by the Shandong Liaison Unit of the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the CPC Jinan Municipal Committee. It explored how Mainland enterprises, including those from Shandong Province, can leverage Hong Kong's business advantages and opportunities to expand overseas, as well as to strengthen collaboration between the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (GoGlobal Task Force) and Mainland authorities to better support Mainland enterprises with their overseas expansion plans via Hong Kong.

The seminar began with welcoming remarks by the Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, and the Vice Governor of the Shandong Provincial People's Government, Mr Sun Ximin.

Dr Chan said that Shandong has a strong industrial foundation and solid manufacturing capabilities, providing a robust base for enterprises to go global. Hong Kong has long been an important economic and trade partner for Shandong and a key platform for Shandong enterprises to go global. The National 15th Five-Year Plan gives explicit support to Hong Kong in better integrating into and serving the overall national development, consolidating and enhancing its status as "four centres and one hub". Hong Kong can help Shandong enterprises address various challenges, such as expanding international markets, managing cross-border capital and exchange rate risks, meeting overseas compliance requirements and protecting intellectual property, cultivating international talent and connecting with professional services, making it the best partner for enterprises to expand to overseas markets. He noted that the GoGlobal Task Force aims to provide one-stop solutions to issues faced by enterprises during their overseas expansion process, ranging from financing planning to market development. It will organise overseas delegations for Mainland enterprises to gain first-hand insights into overseas business environments.

He also said that this year marks the beginning of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong will actively integrate into and serve the national development strategy, deepening co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in economic and trade fields. In February, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and the Ministry of Commerce signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strengthening co-operation and exchange in the provision of comprehensive overseas services, fostering closer collaboration between Mainland enterprises seeking to go global. In addition, the GoGlobal Task Force's dedicated website (www.goglobal.gov.hk) has been officially launched, including the cross-sector professional services platform established by the HKTDC that aims to provide Mainland enterprises planning to expand overseas via Hong Kong with comprehensive information about the GoGlobal Task Force's services, and to match them with Hong Kong's professional services.

Mr Sun said, Shandong has a comprehensive and robust industrial system, a vast and diversified market, and strong growth momentum, providing Hong Kong with abundant application scenarios and co-operation opportunities in finance, trade, and professional services. It has become an important partner for Hong Kong in expanding into the Mainland market and integrating into the national development strategy. Shandong is ready to work hand in hand with Hong Kong to leverage their respective advantages, share development opportunities, cultivate new drivers of industrial collaboration, enhance the level of technological co-operation, and expand new capital co-operation. Shandong enterprises are encouraged to actively seize the opportunities arising from high-level opening up, make good use of Hong Kong as the preferred platform for going global, align with international standards, connect with global resources, and continuously strengthen their core competitiveness and international influence.

As core members of the GoGlobal Task Force, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of InvestHK Ms Loretta Lee and the Regional Director, Northern China, of the HKTDC, Mr Kevin Chan, encouraged Mainland enterprises to choose Hong Kong as their preferred base for going global. They also delivered keynote speeches on how Hong Kong can assist Mainland enterprises in expanding into global markets.

Ms Lee said, Hong Kong, with its unique advantages of having the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, provides strong support for Mainland enterprises for their global expansion. As the overseas expansion strategies of Mainland enterprises continue to upgrade, businesses across different industries at various stages can find their own "value-added leverage point" in Hong Kong. From financial capital to innovation ecosystems, from intellectual property protection to high-end talent, and from a well-established legal system to the Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong has everything that Mainland enterprises need to go global. InvestHK offers Mainland enterprises one-stop, support for overseas expansion, ranging from consultations and business set-up assistance to further business expansion.

Mr Chan said that the HKTDC, as another core member of the GoGlobal Task Force, has 51 global offices and an extensive business network. Each year, it organises over 40 international exhibitions and conferences, providing customised solutions for Mainland enterprises to go global across various areas, such as innovation and technology, food and agricultural products, gifts and cultural creativity, logistics and shipping, finance, life and health, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative. The HKTDC actively shares successful cases of Mainland enterprises using Hong Kong as a platform to go global and leverage on Hong Kong's strengths as a global services hub and resource allocation centre. The HKTDC is committed to supporting Shandong enterprises in using Hong Kong as a springboard to steadily pursue globalisation and explore overseas markets.

The seminar also featured a panel discussion moderated by the Deputy Director of SHETO Mr Arthur Lam. Representatives from Hong Kong's professional services sectors and Mainland enterprises that have successfully expanded overseas through Hong Kong shared their experiences and insights on how Hong Kong's advantages can empower Shandong enterprises to better expand overseas markets.

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

GoGlobal Task Force encourages Shandong enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's advantages for going global Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases sixth batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (April 1) released the sixth batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in March, covering 18 survey areas, as follows:

District

Survey Area

March 2026

First Phase Gravidtrap Index

First Phase Density Index

Islands

Cheung Chau

0.0%

N/A

Wong Tai Sin

Wong Tai Sin West

0.0%

N/A

Sai Kung

Sai Kung Town

0.0%

N/A

Kwai Tsing

Lai King

0.0%

N/A

Yuen Long

Hung Shui Kiu and Ping Shan

0.0%

N/A

District

Survey Area

March 2026

Area Gravidtrap Index

Area Density Index

Central and Western

Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui

0.0%

N/A

Wan Chai

Happy Valley and Tai Hang

1.8%

1.0

Islands

Tung Chung

0.0%

N/A

Kowloon City

Ho Man Tin

0.9%

1.0

Kowloon Tong

2.5%

1.0

Sham Shui Po

Cheung Sha Wan

0.9%

1.0

Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei

0.0%

N/A

Yau Tsim

Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei

0.0%

N/A

North

Fanling South

0.0%

N/A

Tai Po

Tai Po East

0.0%

N/A

Tsuen Wan

Sheung Kwai Chung

1.0%

1.0

Tuen Mun

Tuen Mun South

0.9%

1.0

Yuen Long

Yuen Long Town

0.0%

N/A

Among the sixth batch of First Phase Gravidtrap Indexes covering five survey areas and Area Gravidtrap Indexes covering 13 survey areas in March, most of the areas recorded 0 per cent, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive.

The FEHD has so far released six batches of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in March 2026, covering 62 survey areas. Among these 62 survey areas, 47 recorded a decrease or remained unchanged as compared to the Area Gravidtrap Index last month (i.e. February 2026), representing that the areas' mosquito infestation improved or maintained a low level. Fifteen other areas recorded a slight increase, but the indexes were lower than 10 per cent.

The warm and humid weather of spring is favourable for mosquito breeding. Members of the public should strengthen prevention work against mosquito breeding before the rainy season, and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites in advance, with a view to avoiding the nuisances caused by rapid mosquito breeding during the rainy season and reducing the risk of transmitting mosquito-borne diseases.

Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:

tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside their premises;

remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;

check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;

change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;

properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;

properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and

scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The gravidtrap and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).

Source: AI-found images