the Mainland, the TDC helps its customers, mainly local SMEs, develop business opportunities, trade contacts, market knowledge and competitive skills. One of its primary goals is to project and uphold Hong Kong as an international trading hub.
The TDC has helped position Hong Kong as the international exhibition and convention centre of Asia. It organised more than 30 exhibitions during the year, three of which are now the largest of their kind in the world, while five others are the largest of their kind in Asia. These events attracted nearly 28 000 exhibitors and 570 000 buyers.
In the Mainland, the TDC's focus was on promoting Hong Kong as a professional, creative and financial services platform, a logistics hub, a partner for Mainland businesses seeking global opportunities and a prime supplier of fashionable and lifestyle products. In mature markets, the TDC stepped up efforts to differentiate Hong Kong merchandise by highlighting reliable quality, stylish designs and adherence to stringent green and safety standards. TDC's focus in new markets was primarily on pathfinding and image-building to identify business opportunities for Hong Kong SMEs.
The TDC publishes 15 product magazines and industry supplements that reach. more than five million readers. It also produced about 170 trade reports, sector-specific updates and business newsletters in 2009, providing timely market intelligence on Hong Kong, the Mainland and international markets. The TDC's online marketplace (http://www.hktdc.com) features about 900 000 registered buyers. and 120 000 quality suppliers from Hong Kong, the Mainland and beyond. It also provides an online business matching platform for Hong Kong companies and overseas buyers.
Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation
The Hong Kong Export Credit Insurance Corporation (ECIC) was created by statute in 1966 to protect Hong Kong exporters against non-payment risks arising from commercial and political events. Its capital is wholly owned by the HKSAR Government, which also guarantees its contingent liability. Its statutory maximum liability guaranteed by the Government was increased to $30 billion from $15 billion on February 13, 2009. The ECIC is required to pursue a policy towards financial self-sufficiency.
The ECIC's total insured business in 2009 amounted to $58.7 billion, an increase of 26.5 per cent over 2008. Gross premium income grew by 18.9 per cent to $219.3 million. Cash claims payments increased by 108.5 per cent to $153.3 million.
As the economic condition and trading environment remained difficult, the ECIC extended some of the enhancement measures introduced in 2008 and launched a number of new initiatives. Major measures include extending the free credit assessment services and waiver of annual policy fee, increasing the small credit limit ceiling to $1 million and expediting the processing of relevant applications, providing higher capacity for two additional emerging markets at lower premium rates and uploading latest market information on ECIC's website.
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