Hong Kong delivers stunning appearance at Asia-Pacific Week in Berlin (with photo)

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     The annual Asia-Pacific Week (APW) in Berlin once again sees the active participation of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin). Under the theme "Asia-Europe Dialogue on Digitalisation", HKETO Berlin, together with Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), serves as a strategic partner, providing a keynote speaker and panelist, and also bringing a team of professional rope skippers from Hong Kong on the APW stage. The 2018 edition of this annual interdisciplinary business conference is running from April 23 to 29 (Berlin time) in Berlin. It is considered to be Germany's most important platform for dialogue and co-operation with Asian partners from business, culture, science and politics.

     Following the official opening of the APW on the previous day, a team professional rope skippers from the Hong Kong Rope Skipping Academy, SLASH, entered the stage on April 24 (Berlin time). The three-time champions of the World Demo Cup showcased their high-speed breathtaking performance of swirling ropes, epitomising Hong Kong’s dynamism and agility. They gained much acclamation from the Berlin audience, and will continue to perform on various occasions under the APW Cultural Programme. On April 27 (Berlin time), they will also visit a local rope skipping team, the Burning Ropes of SG Blau Weiß Beelitz 1912/90, to hold a joint workshop and exchange their techniques, experience and tricks.

     HKETO Berlin also contributes to the Financial Technology (FinTech) events in APW. Being keynote panelist and moderator, InvestHK’s Deputy Head of FinTech, Mr Thorsten Terweiden, pointed out the great importance that Hong Kong attaches to FinTech. "Hong Kong is the world's third largest financial centre and 17.6 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product can be attributed to banking and insurance. This makes the city the ideal place for FinTech innovations and new products," he stated. Hong Kong offers a favourable startup and business environment with a low and simple tax regime, rule of law, free flow of information and world-class business infrastructure. The city also serves as the gateway to the growing markets in the Mainland China as well as the Asia-Pacific region.

     "The envisaged exchange of talents makes the Asia-Pacific Week in Berlin an ideal platform for Hong Kong to be a strategic partner and intensify the European-Asian dialogue with players from the field of digitalisation and related topics such as Smart Cities, Industry 4.0 and startups. Their innovations are not only from the economic side but also from cultural, scientific, political, and social perspectives," Mr Terweiden concluded.

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) is determined to further promote FinTech in Hong Kong. Pointing the way ahead, Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, stated in her maiden Policy Address in October 2017, "we will continue with our efforts to promote local FinTech development and encourage the industry to experiment with innovative businesses. We will also continue to encourage stakeholders to connect the financial institutions with various FinTech talents so as to facilitate the training and exchange of talents."

About HKETO Berlin

     HKETO Berlin is the official HKSARG representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Ends/Friday, April 27, 2018
Issued at HKT 17:40

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The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin participated in Asia-Pacific Week, which was held from April 23 to 29 (Berlin time) in Berlin, Germany. Photo shows Invest Hong Kong's Deputy Head of Fintech, Mr Thorsten Terweiden, (first right) attending at Fintech Summit AsiaBerlin in the Asia-Pacific Week on April 24 (Berlin time).