Commerce and Industry 113
relationship and close liaison with the customs attachés and representatives of other law enforcement agencies in Hong Kong. Regular bilateral meetings are held with the Mainland and other customs administrations to build up a strong network for exchanging intelligence of cross-boundary customs crimes.
The Pan-Pearl River Delta (Pan-PRD) Customs Trade Facilitation Forum cum Regional Customs Commissioners' Joint Conference co-organised by the department and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China was held on May 10-11, 2007 in Hong Kong with the participation of over 1 200 representatives from the customs administrations, commercial and trade, maritime, logistics and academic sectors of the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. At the conclusion of the event, customs administrations of the three places issued a joint declaration which aims at strengthening customs cooperation and speeding up cross- boundary clearance to support economic development in the Pan-PRD region.
Agreement was also reached on eight cooperation projects relating to cross- boundary express clearance, Shenzhen-Macao shipping routes, enhanced customs cooperation in anti-smuggling operations, protection of intellectual property rights and training of customs personnel.
Small and Medium Enterprises
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) refer to those manufacturing businesses in Hong Kong employing less than 100 people, or non-manufacturing businesses with less than 50. They are the driving force of economic growth. There are about 263 000 SMEs in Hong Kong, representing over 98 per cent of all local enterprises and employing more than 1.2 million people. To provide assistance to SMEs, three SME funding schemes - the Loan Guarantee Scheme, the Export Marketing Fund and the Development Fund have been set up to help SMEs secure loans from financial institutions, expand overseas markets and enhance overall competitiveness. Since their establishment in 2001/2002, over 48 500 SMEs have benefited from these funding schemes, involving over $10.6 billion worth of guarantees and grants. During the year, the Government also enhanced the schemes to provide more support to the SMEs.
The Support and Consultation Centre for SMES (SUCCESS) of the Trade and Industry Department continues to provide free business information and consultation services for SMEs. Through SUCCESS' Business Advisory Service and SME Mentorship Programme, SMEs can obtain free advice on business operation.
Promotion of Innovation and Technology
Innovation and Technology Commission
The Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) is responsible for spearheading Hong Kong's drive to become a world-class, knowledge-based economy. The commission, which is under the Communications and Technology Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, formulates and implements policies and measures to promote innovation and technology; supports applied research and development (R&D); supports technology transfer and applications; promotes
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