Thursday, December 14, 2023
 |
| M Ali Affandi LNM, the Chairman of the Surabaya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) |
Surabaya, Suarajatim.com - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is once again organizing a series of international exhibitions in Hong Kong in early 2024. As a country that has established bilateral relations with the Hong Kong government, Indonesia is a focal point of attention.
In light of this, HKTDC invites business players in Indonesia to take advantage of these exhibitions to gather information on the latest market trends, establish partnerships, and develop business opportunities for their companies.
Ronald Ho, the Regional Director for South East Asia & South Asia at HKTDC, stated that they will host ten international trade exhibitions in early 2024 in Hong Kong. This platform offers an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs and suppliers from Indonesia to expand their businesses into new markets.
"Indonesia is the 25th largest trading partner for Hong Kong. Until October 2023, the total trade value between the two places reached US$3.86 billion. Indonesia is the 24th largest export market for Hong Kong, with a total export value of US$1.82 billion, and the 21st largest import source, with an import value of US$2 billion," explained Ronald Ho.
Expanding Horizons: Hong Kong's Trade Fairs Set to Deepen Ties with Indonesia
At the same venue, M Ali Affandi LNM, the Chairman of the Surabaya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), expressed appreciation for HKTDC's initiative to come to Indonesia, especially reaching out to Surabaya, to engage with business players and encourage them to leverage the exhibitions for business development.
"Usually, they only go to Jakarta. But this deserves appreciation because HKTDC is willing to come to Surabaya. This means they recognize the potential in East Java and Surabaya. Surely, this can become a hub for business players in Eastern Indonesia," he clarified.
According to Mas Andi, as he is commonly addressed, Hong Kong hosts international trade exhibitions regularly, attracting companies and buyers from various countries. He hopes that SMEs in Surabaya and East Java can benefit from participating in these exhibitions, especially with guidance from Kadin East Java. He also encourages friends from Hipmi and other business players to make the most of this opportunity.
Mas Andi added that many Indonesian products, including those from Surabaya, already meet international standards, such as shoes, fashion, merchandise, and food and beverages. Therefore, it is expected that these products can elevate their status by regularly participating in overseas exhibitions.
Denny Yan, the Chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) Surabaya, further emphasized that Surabaya has significant potential with over 60,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (UMKM). However, for continuous growth, they need access to markets, funding, and knowledge transfer.
"With this joint exhibition with HKTDC, it can undoubtedly be an opportunity to build a foundation between Indonesia, especially business players in Surabaya, and Hong Kong, vice versa. Hipmi Surabaya will help bridge the gap for market access, including finding good product vendors to bring to Indonesia and exporting our products to Hong Kong," he stated.(*)