INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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a member of the International Chamber of Commerce and has been approved by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific to arbitrate in commercial disputes. It provides a wide range of services to its members and to more than 8 000 non-member companies. These include the issue of certificates of origin, commercial carnets, endorsement of invoices and the processing of trade and industrial enquiries.
Incorporated in 1981, the Hong Kong Trade Facilitation Council was set up to facilitate international trade procedures and the documentation and information flows associated with them. Its members include representatives of government, trade and industrial organisations and private sector companies. In recent years, the emphasis in trade facilitation work has shifted from paper to the transmission of trade data by elec- tronic means.
The Federation of Hong Kong Industries was established by statute in 1960 to promote and protect the interests of Hong Kong industry, and to provide an organisation to which manufacturing industries in Hong Kong could belong. It has a membership which is broadly representative of all industries. The federation provides a range of services to both members and non-members, covering certificates of origin, a custom built multi-risks insurance policy, consultancy work on quality assurance, trade enquiries and joint venture requests, translation services and specialised research.
Through its Design and Packaging Centre, which is the executive arm of the Design Council of Hong Kong, the federation offers various design-related services. It organises the annual Governor's Award for Hong Kong Design competition, Hong Kong Young Designer of the Year Award and various design and packaging certificate courses. It operates the Q-Mark scheme, under the supervision of the Hong Kong Q-Mark Council, through which licences are issued for products complying with international standards and manufactured under approved quality control systems. It also services the Hong Kong Toys Council, Transport Services Council and Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industries Council.
The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong (CMA), established in 1934, is a non-profit making chamber of commerce and industry. It is a member of the International Chamber of Commerce. It has a membership of over 3 600 industrial and trade establish- ments. The association has played an important role in fostering the industrial development of Hong Kong. It is authorised by the government to issue certificates of origin. It operates a trade enquiry section, organises missions and sponsors trade fairs in support of trade promotion. The association is active in promoting new product development and holds the annual Hong Kong New Products Competition. It also provides services to introduce new technology and assist manufacturers to upgrade product quality standard. The CMA Testing and Certification Laboratories provides a wide variety of services including product testing, certification, production and pre-shipment inspection and technical consultancy. The association promotes industrial safety and manpower development in the industrial sector and runs two prevocational schools which provide technical education for more than 2 000 students. It also awards scholarships to those studying in universities, polytechnics and technical institutes through the CMA and Donors Scholarships Scheme since 1964 as a token of its support to technical education.
Founded in 1900, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong, is an association of Chinese firms and businessmen resident in Hong Kong. It has a membership of more than 6 000, covering a wide spectrum of trade. The aim of the chamber is to promote trade and prosperity of Hong Kong. In addition to the traditional activities of a chamber of commerce, it maintains close contact with trade organisations in China and