Guests listen intently to the speech by Joseph Chan Ho-lim, under secretary for financial services and the Treasury, during the WOW Summit 2023, a flagship Web3 event in the Asia-Pacific region. (EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY)
Hong Kong: HK boosts fintech with Web3 institute launch
Hong Kong established the Institute of Web3 Hong Kong on April 11 to strengthen its standing as an international fintech hub. The institute is co-sponsored by various local universities and Hong Kong-based mainland organizations, with members including academicians from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, lawmakers, fintech practitioners, and university professors. As a cross-industry nonprofit organization, the association will promote the development of the city’s Web3 ecosystem through research, standards setting, and training.
Macao: Video shows, officials promote SAR in Europe
Through April 22, Macao is holding its first large-scale tourism promotion in Europe since the pandemic, which includes in-person visits from Macao government officials.
Named Experience Macao Unlimited — Macao Promotion in Lisbon, the promotion seeks to develop the international-visitor market ahead of a tourism and economic revival.
The highlight of the promotion, a video mapping show showcasing Macao’s unique tourism elements, began a trial run in Lisbon, Portugal, on April 15 to lift the curtain on its publicity campaign.
Macao Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng has led a delegation of officials and entrepreneurs to Lisbon in a trip that began on Tuesday. He will also visit Luxembourg and Belgium to strengthen ties with those countries and promote Macao in Europe.
Guangzhou: Global enterprises flock to attend Canton Fair
The 133rd China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, opened on April 15 in Guangzhou, becoming the largest in history, with the exhibition area and the number of exhibitors reaching new highs. The offline exhibitions are continuing in three phases through May 5 and the online fair will operate throughout the year.
The fair attracted buyers from more than 220 countries and regions, with 35,000 enterprises participating in the offline exhibition.
The exhibition area increased from 1.18 million square meters to 1.5 million square meters, and the number of booths rose from 60,000 to almost 70,000.
Shenzhen: State-run data trading market makes progress
As of the end of March, the Shenzhen Data Exchange had facilitated 625 registered data transactions involving 106 applications, with 725 participants including data providers, data brokers and data buyers. The State-run data trading platform in Shenzhen, which officially kicked off in November, aims to become a national data market to boost the country’s digital economy.
Zhuhai: Hengqin woos high-end talent with tax incentives
The Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone on Hengqin island in Zhuhai has rolled out new measures whereby domestic and overseas high-end professionals, as well as professionals in short supply, will be exempted from personal income tax exceeding 15 percent when they settle in the zone. The tax incentives cover industries that include technology, high-end manufacturing, traditional Chinese medicine, culture, tourism, and modern finance.
Jiangmen: Investment in battery exceeds 8 billion yuan in Q1
The recently released investment data show that in the first quarter of 2023, Jiangmen introduced a total of 107 projects with an investment of 100 million yuan ($14.5 million) and above, a year-on-year growth of 105.8 percent; the planned investment for the introduced projects was 67.4 billion yuan, an increase of 31.7 percent.
The city introduced 75 key industry chain projects with planned investments totaling 36.6 billion yuan in the first quarter, accounting for 70.1 percent and 54.3 percent of the total number of introduced projects and planned investment respectively. The amount of investment in the new-energy battery industry chain was 8.5 billion yuan, ranking first.
Zhongshan: Cooperation with major retailer in Indonesia
Zhongshan signed a cooperation agreement with Kawan Lama Group, one of the largest retailers in Indonesia, on Monday, at the Guangzhou Pazhou International Convention and Exhibition Center.
A total of 19 Zhongshan enterprises and more than 20 teams from the Indonesian group conducted trade matching and procurement negotiations. Based on their respective strengths, the agreement is expected to promote trade exchanges and achieve mutual benefits.
Kawan Lama Group operates in a wide range of businesses, covering real estate, machinery wholesale, supermarket chains, and shopping malls.
In response to the group’s procurement needs at the Canton Fair, Zhongshan provided a recommended list of about 200 enterprises for reference and selection in advance.
Foshan: Five-day exhibition boosts ceramics export
Foshan kicked off its five-day Foshan Uniceramics Product Expo on April 15. More than 600 enterprises at home and abroad gathered for the exhibition, which also drew dealers, buyers, designers, media and audiences from all over the world. As one of the trade promotions to be fully resumed since the easing of anti-pandemic measures, the exhibition mainly displays the latest in ceramic-tile and sanitaryware products.
Huizhou: ‘Made in Huizhou’ shines at the 133rd Canton Fair
A total of 105 companies from Huizhou, Guangdong province, participated in the Canton Fair, which kicked off on April 15, and signed orders with domestic and foreign enterprises. “This year’s Canton Fair is warmly welcomed by the enterprises from Huizhou. Russia and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and RCEP are the main sources of current orders. Huizhou enterprises are confident of securing more orders from these countries,” said Zheng Zhanji, deputy director of the Huizhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce.
The bureau plans to encourage more local enterprises to expand into overseas markets through policy and subsidy support.
Dongguan: City issues over 20,000 Top Talent’s Cards
As of late March, Dongguan has issued 20,483 Top Talent’s Cards for high-level talents, providing them with 24 types of convenient services. The Top Talent’s Cards issued by Dongguan include a Yulan Card, covering 28 types of applicants, and a Guanxiang Card, covering 15 types of applicants, allowing card holders to enjoy various public services that include government services, household registration, social insurance, medical facilities, residence and immigration, commercial registration, learning and training.
Zhaoqing: Loans exceed 300 billion yuan in first quarter
Zhaoqing’s loan balance exceeded 300 billion yuan ($43.6 billion) for the first time in the first quarter of 2023, with more-targeted lending to borrowers and the cost of loans continuing to fall, which provided strong financial support for Zhaoqing’s high-quality development.
At the end of March, the city’s domestic and foreign currency deposit balance was 357.09 billion yuan, up 10.6 percent year-on-year. The balance of loans in domestic and foreign currencies was 306.20 billion yuan, an increase of 12 percent year-on-year.
