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Commerce and Industry

collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland to help innovative industries capitalise on new business opportunities and to strengthen the competitiveness of Hong Kong's business and manufacturing sectors.

Other Trade and Industrial Support Organisations

The Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, and the Hong Kong Chinese Importers' and Exporters' Association promote the interests of, and foster relationships among, their members. There are many other associations representing specific sectors or interests, and overseas chambers of commerce.

Development of Testing and Certification Industry

The Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) advises the government on the overall development strategy of the testing and certification industry. The council comprises members from the testing and certification industry, the business sector, professional organisations and relevant public bodies and government departments.

The government works closely with the HKCTC to implement recommendations made in the council's 2013 review report. General improvements have been made to the accreditation service and factors of production for industry, that is, manpower, technology, capital and land, whilst promoting the development of new testing and certification services in six specific trades, that is, Chinese medicines, construction materials, food, jewellery, environmental protection, and information and communications technologies.

The Mainland is gradually opening up its market to Hong Kong's testing and certification industry. The Agreement on Trade in Services, signed in November 2015, introduced a new liberalisation measure of implementing, on a pilot basis, a mutual recognition arrangement of certification and relevant testing business among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone, with a view to carrying out 'certified once, tested once, and results accepted by three places. The agreement also covers and consolidates commitments relating to liberalisation of trade in services and the testing and certification. sector provided in the Mainland and Hong Kong CEPA and its Supplements, as well as the Agreement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on Achieving Basic Liberalisation of Trade in Services in Guangdong.

The government, with the support from HKCTC, also hosted the annual meeting of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)/Technical Committee 176 in November 2015. The event has helped promote the sector's knowledge of the standardisation process and relevant accreditation and certification work. This is the first time that this ISO Technical Committee on quality management and quality assurance held its meeting in Hong Kong. Representatives from about 45 countries and territories, including the Mainland and Hong Kong, as well as over 10 international and regional organisations and other ISO Technical Committees joined the meeting.

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