Hong Kong Industrialist Aug Oct 2021

The lingering COVID-19 pandemic continues to weaken demand from traditional European and the US markets, and has led to chaos in global sea freight. The soaring shipping rates and container shortage have stressed the recovery of global trade. The industry must be cautious of the volatile business environment to get through the storm. Last year, the Government rolled out the “Special 100% Loan Guarantee” under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme; and concurrently, the Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation extended its ten enhanced measures to mid-2022, including the 50% premium discount for small business policy holders, waiver of service fees, extension of payment due date and expediting claims settlement process, with an aim to help trading SMEs to survive the challenge. In recent decades, the east has gradually become the world’s economic centre with an ever-increasing consumption power. Coupled with the signing of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership to remove trade barriers among Asia-pacific economies, the trade volume in the region is set to bolster. This year, the Government announced enhancement measures to the Dedicated Fund on Branding, Upgrading and Domestics Sales (“BUD Fund”) to support Hong Kong enterprises capturing new opportunities. Announced measures include increasing the cumulative funding ceiling per enterprise for HK$4 million to HK$6 million, and expanding the geographical coverage to all economies with which Hong Kong had signed FTA. The industry should harness this opportunity to explore new markets in the mainland and ASEAN region with Hong Kong’s strategic geographical location to manage business risks and anchor new growth areas. 世界各地新冠肺炎疫情反覆，傳統歐美市場 的需求轉差，貨物船運亦因陷入混亂，不但 運費飆升，更有不少貨櫃未能周轉而滯留港 口，對環球貿易造成嚴重障礙，業界必須審 慎應對。政府在去年推出中小企融資擔保計 劃的「百分百擔保特惠貸款」，而香港出口 信用保險局亦將十項因疫情而推出的支援措 施，包括為「小營業額保單」保戶提供五折保 費折扣、豁免部份服務費用、延長付款限期 及加快賠款安排等延長至2022年中，將協助 貿易業中小企渡過難關。 近年全球經濟重心東移，亞洲的消費力日 增，在《區域全面經濟夥伴協定》簽訂後， 亞太區內的貿易壁壘消少，必會帶動貿易量 上升。政府今年宣布「發展品牌、升級轉型 及拓展內銷市場的專項基金」（「BUD 專項 基金」）將每家企業的累計資助上限由400萬 元提升至600萬元，更逐步擴展至所有與香 港簽署自貿協定的經濟體，業界應把握此時 機，善用香港的地理優勢開拓內地及東盟 等新興市場，分散風險和打開新的業務版 圖。 Chairman: Jimmy Ang 主席:洪來濱 | Vice-Chairman: Raymond Lam 副主席:林源森 Hong Kong Trade Services Council 香港貿易服務業協會 GROUP 20 分組 第 8-10/2021 | 79