INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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The centre is a participating organisation of the TECHNONET Asia, which was incorporated as an independent legal entity in April 1980. The executive director of the centre was elected chairman of the organisation for a second term.
Other Trade and Industrial Organisations
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1861, is the oldest trade and industrial association in Hong Kong. Its membership, comprising over 2 600 companies covering all branches of commerce and industry, is represented on a number of government and other boards and committees. It is also a member of the International Chamber of Commerce. The chamber is actively involved in promoting Hong Kong's trade and attracting new industry. It is approved by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to arbitrate in commercial disputes.
The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, established by statute in 1960, has a membership broadly representative of all industries. To encourage and improve industrial design, the federation established the Hong Kong Industrial Design Council which offers practical training programmes and advice to designers and design service users. The council operates a design depository for people who wish to obtain copyright protection, and organises annual design competitions and exhibitions. The federation also established the Hong Kong Packaging Council to promote the development of packaging education and technology, and the development of skills and expertise in packaging.
The federation's Hong Kong Standards and Testing Centre (HKSTC) provides testing, inspection, certification and related services. Its facilities include chemical, calibration, electrical, electronic, engineering, food, footwear, gemmological, microbiological, packag- ing, pharmaceutical, textile, toy, watch and radio interference testing laboratories. It also provides services in preshipment inspection, quality control, production inspection, indus- trial research, product development and technical consultancy.
The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA), which was established in 1934, has some 2 200 members. The association, a member of the International Chamber of Commerce, has played an important role in the industrial development in Hong Kong. It is active in promoting new product development and holds the annual Hong Kong New Products Competition. The association's Testing and Certification Laboratories provide a variety of services which include product testing, certification, production and preshipment inspection, and technical consultancy. Seminars and exhibitions are held to introduce new technology and encourage new investment opening. To promote trade, it operates a trade enquiries section.
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The association is actively involved in the promotion of industrial safety, and takes a keen interest in community and social welfare services. It runs a prevocational school which offers technical training programmes for more than 1 000 students.
Consumer Council
The Consumer Council is a statutory body established in 1974 and charged with the responsibility of protecting and promoting the interests of consumers of goods and services. It consists of a chairman, an executive director and 14 members representing different walks of life in the community. Although financed by an annual subvention from the government it is independent in formulating and implementing its own programmes.
The council's staff of 56 are involved in administration, legislation, complaints, advice, testing, research and survey, education and information, and publications. These activities are directed by nine standing committees which are served by members of the council. In