New ties forged and connections strengthened with Arizona, California and Montana

The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco (HKETO San Francisco), Ms Jacko Tsang visited Missoula, MT; San Diego, CA and Phoenix, AZ in recent months. During the official visits, new ties were forged and existing connections were strengthened.

While in Missoula on July 7-9, Ms Tsang paid a visit to the Montana World Affairs Council, called on the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana, had a meeting with Missoula Economic Partnership and met with representatives of the Montana World Trade Center.

During the meetings, Ms Tsang and representatives of the respective offices shared the objectives and work priorities of their organizations, and explored collaboration opportunities to foster better understanding and closer exchange between Hong Kong and the Treasure State.

In providing updates on Hong Kong, Ms Tsang highlighted the city’s unique position as a gateway to China under the “One Country, Two Systems” principle. She pointed out that Hong Kong continues to practice the common law system, and allows free flow of capital, talent, information and goods. Hong Kong also maintains a low tax regime, a linked exchange rate system, and its business standards align with international benchmarks, she added.

On June 3- 4, Ms Tsang attended the BIO International Convention 2024 (BIO 2024) in San Diego, CA to promote Hong Kong’s biotech ecosystem.

Attended by more than 18,500 industry practitioners from across the globe, BIO is one of the largest and most comprehensive events for the biotech industry. Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) leads a delegation of 16 elite park companies to BIO 2024. Together, these exhibitors underscore the diverse scope and innovative strength of Hong Kong’s biotech sector.

During the convention, Ms Tsang and the CEO of HKSTP, Mr Albert Wong had a meeting with Mayor Kate Gallego of the City of Phoenix, AZ to introduce and showcase Hong Kong’s biotech ecosystem. Leveraging the numerous funding opportunities for startups, favorable government policies tailored for the biotech sector, and top-notch R&D infrastructure, Hong Kong stands to establish itself as an international biotechnology hub. At the meeting, both parties also identified areas for future collaborations, such as potential partnerships to facilitate the commercialization efforts of biotech companies, as well as research collaborations between universities in both cities.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, in collaboration with the HKSTP, hosted a Hong Kong Reception at the Hong Kong Pavilion. At the reception, Ms Tsang explained to visitors that Hong Kong is an ideal launchpad for biotech companies to develop and scale globally, given its strategic location in the Greater Bay Area, excellent academic institutes and various funding and supporting policies from the HKSAR Government.

On May 1-3, Ms Tsang travelled to Phoenix on an official visit. She met with Mr Sean Fogarty, the Vice President of International Business Development, Greater Phoenix Economic Council. They shared the objective and work priorities of their respective organizations and explored possible collaboration to foster better understanding and closer exchange between the two cities in the future.

Ms Tsang also had a meeting with Ms Christine Mackay, the Director of Phoenix Community and Economic Development; and Ms Rita Marko, the President and CEO of Phoenix Sister Cities, Inc., and the International Relations Administrator for the City of Phoenix. The meeting explored how to leverage the strengths of both Hong Kong and Phoenix to forge strong partnerships in crucial areas including trade, healthcare science and creative industries, with both sides highlighting how such exchanges can foster business ties and deepen understanding of both cities.

During the visit, Ms Tsang attended the Phoenix Global Forum. The forum, hosted by the IEFA and Phoenix Sister Cities, gathered business leaders and experts from various sectors worldwide to embark on critical discussions surrounding the dynamic shifts in global trade, digital transformation, and the collective response to society's evolving needs.