INDUSTRY AND TRADE
International Chamber of Commerce. With a membership of over 3 600 industrial and trade establishments, the CMA is authorised by the government to issue certificates of origin. It also provides trade information, handles trade enquiries, organises missions, fairs and exhibitions, and is active in encouraging product development and quality improvement. The CMA Testing and Certification Laboratories provide technical back-up services, including materials and product testing, pre-shipment inspection and technical consultancy services. The CMA also organises various seminars and training courses and operates two pre-vocational schools to provide technical education and training for more than 2200 students. The CMA provides scholarships annually to outstanding students of technical colleges and post-secondary institutions. Since 1989, the CMA has been appointed by the government to organise the machinery and equipment design award category of the Governor's Award for Industry.
The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce is the oldest internationally-recognised trade association in Hong Kong and one of the 10 largest chambers in the world. Founded in 1861, its membership of over 3 100 member companies is representative of every sector of commerce and industry. The chamber organises trade and goodwill missions overseas and receives inbound delegations. It handles trade enquiries and extends assistance to individual visiting business people. It is authorised by the government to issue certificates of origin and is the sole local issuing authority for international Association Temporarie Admission (ATA) Carnets, through its seven local certification offices.
Although an independent, autonomous organisation receiving no subvention, the chamber is represented on a wide range of official advisory committees and bodies. The chamber founded and formed the Hong Kong Article Numbering Association, the Hong Kong Coalition of Service Industries, the Hong Kong Franchise Association and sponsors the Hong Kong Committee of the Pacific Basin Economic Council.
Established in 1900, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce is an association of local Chinese firms, businessmen and professionals. It has a membership of over 6000, representing a wide spectrum of trade as well as industry. It provides a variety of services including certification of origin, organisation of seminars, exhibitions, trade missions and other trade promotional activities. It maintains close links with trade organisations both in Hong Kong and China. Since 1957, it has been authorised by the Chinese Export Commodities Fair authorities to issue invitations on their behalf to local Chinese firms. It has been operating courses for senior government officials of China since 1982. These courses are designed to enable participants to better understand the various aspects of Hong Kong's economy.
The Hong Kong Management Association is a professional management organisation incorporated in 1960 for the purpose of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of management in Hong Kong. It organises over 1 500 training programmes and provides various management services such as translation, recruitment and exhibition.
The Hong Kong Exporters' Association was formed in 1955. It has a membership of 300 export and manufacturing companies. Its members together account for about one third of Hong Kong's total domestic exports. Its objectives are to protect and promote the interests of its members, to disseminate trade information, and to act as a representative body to voice members' concerns and to assist in solving any trade problems which they may
encounter.
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