ENG-2004 — Page 152

122 | Commerce and Industry

Chart 5: Number of Hong Kong Enterprise Groups (HKEGs) with Inward Direct Investment by Employment Size in mid-2003

8 000

7.000

No. of HKEGs

6 314

6 000

5 000

4.000

3.000

2.000

1 363

1 000

712

472

109

81

21

Less than 20

20 - 49

50 - 99

100 - 499

Employment Size

500 - 999 1 000 - 2 999 3 000 or more

According to the survey conducted by the Census and Statistics Department, as at June 1, 2004, there were 3 609 companies in Hong Kong that were regional headquarters and regional offices of companies incorporated outside Hong Kong. Compared with the corresponding figure of 3 207 recorded for 2003, this was an increase of 12.5 per cent.

The Institutional Framework

Commerce and Industry Branch

The Commerce and Industry Branch of the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau is responsible for the formulation and coordination of policies and strategies in relation to Hong Kong's external commercial relations, inward investment promotion and intellectual property protection. It also oversees the development of policies and programmes for the industrial and trade sectors, including SMEs, as well as the promotion of services industries. The branch is assisted by a number of departments, namely the Trade and Industry Department, Invest Hong Kong, the Customs and Excise Department and the Intellectual Property Department. It is also supported by a network of Economic and Trade Offices outside Hong Kong.

Trade and Industry Department

The Trade and Industry Department is responsible for handling the HKSAR's commercial relations with its trading partners, implementing trade policies and agreements, including the issue of certificates of origin, export and import licences