"Hong Kong In" was the theme of the Hong Kong exhibition area in the China Pavilion at the inaugural China International Import Expo (CIIE). The phrase "Hong Kong In" carries a dual meaning, echoing CIIE’s theme of “Import”, while also encapsulating Hong Kong's vision to seize opportunities and move towards high-quality development.

For many years, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Hong Kong’s official exhibitors organizing institution for the CIIE, embraced this spirit by leading Hong Kong enterprises to participate in each CIIE. 

"Hong Kong companies have shown great enthusiasm for the expo," said Kent Lyu, Regional Director of Eastern China of the HKTDC. "Almost every year, more than half of the exhibitors return, and we continuously recruit and invite new exhibitors, introducing emerging forces from Hong Kong's vibrant economic sectors." From over 30 Hong Kong companies occupying an 800-square-meter exhibition area at the first CIIE to 52 companies in a 1,500-square-meter area by the seventh CIIE, the scale of participation organized by the HKTDC has steadily grown.

Hong Kong food showcase at CIIE. Source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council

FROM HUNDREDS TO THOUSANDS

Amid enthusiastic greetings like "Have a taste of authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea" and "We have launched a healthy food product this year," a steady stream of professional visitors interested in inquiries and trying new products kept coming one after another.

Among them, the booth of Kampery Group from Hong Kong stood out. The on-site demonstration of Hong Kong-style milk tea techniques turned out to be far more popular than expected.

Howard Wong, General Manager of Kampery, said, "Our initial estimate was to serve several hundred cups per day, but we ended up brewing close to 1,500 cups. With an average of around 10 cups per pot of milk tea, we brew approximately 150 pots per day."

Howard Wong, General Manager of Kampery, demonstrates milk tea brewing.

Wong's sense of accomplishment goes beyond this.Genuine orders poured in from retailers, major distributors, and to e-commerce platforms. " New collaboration channels can be developed here every year," he said, adding the vast Chinese Mainland market has a unique business culture, and Hong Kong enterprises need to catch up. "CIIE is an extremely efficient platform for communication and collaboration."This is also the shared sentiment of many enterprises in the delegation organized by HKTDC.

GATEWAY TO THE GLOBAL MARKET

More opportunities are now expanding from the Chinese mainland to the world. Wong noted: "Clients from Canada and the United States expressed interest in our products at CIIE, with some having forged partnerships with us." Embracing these opportunities, Kampery has diversified its product line from coffee and milk tea to more categories such as wine and organic food.

Meanwhile, CW Business Services Limited joined CIIE upon a client’s suggestion. The Hong Kong-based enterprise, specializing in consulting services for global business investments, was taking a client to visit CIIE one year when the client suggested: “Why don’t you join CIIE? This way, everyone will have a better platform for communication and negotiations." Therefore,starting from the fifth edition,CW Business Services decided to join HKTDC’s delegation to  officially participate the expo.

Hong Kong is one of the world's most service-oriented economies. The Hong Kong Trade in Services Pavilion, where CW Business Services is located, is specifically established by the HKTDC to showcase the advantages of Hong Kong's professional services,assist overseas companies in expanding into the mainland market through Hong Kong, and support mainland enterprises in achieving international development via Hong Kong. Kent Lyu stated that CW Business Services' participation in the CIIE vividly illustrates the significance of "Hong Kong as a gateway connecting the world",providing professional services, as well as reaping substantial benefits.

Today, CIIE has turned out to be a special bond between CW Business Services and its clients. "CIIE has brought us closer together," Tony Wong, Manager of CW Business Services' China Consultancy Team, said. "Before the expo, we had already arranged to meet with overseas partners on-site." Additionally, clients from Latin America reached out to CW Business Services to consult on how they could participate in CIIE and how to promote their companies here. As the world's first national-level import-themed expo, the CIIE is increasingly becoming the premier gateway for global businesses to efficiently connect with the vast Chinese market and explore global opportunities.

In addition to professional service enterprises, the Hong Kong Trade in Services Pavilion has also attracted a growing number of Hong Kong universities and technology innovation businesses in recent years. They bring their latest R&D achievements, hoping to achieve transformation and implementation through the platform.

YEARLY HIGHLIGHT OF WORK

Hong Kong is dubbed as Asia’s exhibition hub. The HKTDC hosts numerous world-class trade fairs and large-scale international conferences annually. Currently, as Hong Kong enterprises' demand for participating in the CIIE grows, the HKTDC's exhibition organizing strategic map has further expanded, and the CIIE has become another brilliant chapter in its work agenda in recent years.

Apart from pavilion coordination, the HKTDC organized events to help Hong Kong enterprises tap into the mainland market. Among them, a Hong Kong medical company gained the market interest through the CIIE, leading to its establishment in Shanghai in early 2025, thus achieving the leap from an exhibitor to an investor.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee (right) tried Hong Kong-style milk tea at CIIE.

The annual visit of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region injects much-needed motivation for Hong Kong businesses. "Last year, Chief Executive John Lee visited the booth and tried Hong Kong-style milk tea. He saw that we incorporated panda elements into our milk tea-themed doll and praised such creativity, believing it would help promote Hong Kong's distinctive culture in the mainland," recalled Wong.

"The HKTDC is ranked among the top 10 pavilion organizers in terms of exhibition area for seven consecutive editions, and the Hong Kong exhibition area received the Green Booth Design Award in 2024. For HKTDC’s Shanghai office, CIIE is the highlight of the year," Lyu said, "In fact, as soon as each CIIE concludes, we start preparing for the next edition." The year-round meticulous preparation is a vivid reflection of Hong Kong's deep integration into China's overall opening-up drive.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is compiled from materials provided by relevant parties participating in the CIIE and media reports,  with the CIIE Bureau objectively compiling relevant content. The CIIE Bureau does not take responsibility for disputes or losses arising from the following circumstances: deviations in expression due to outdated information updates; readers' subjective judgments or actions based on this article; unauthorized alteration or dissemination of the content by third parties.