Survey finds industry professionals positive on business prospects
for 2019 and smart city development in Hong Kong
|
The 16th HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition)
and the HKTDC International ICT Expo came to a successful close
today (16 April). The two fairs, organised by the Hong Kong Trade
Development Council (HKTDC), welcomed more than 100,000 global
buyers, up 3.6% year on year. |
|
This year's ICT Expo featured more than 610 exhibitors from
14 countries and regions showcasing cutting-edge solutions. They
included Cyberport, Airport Authority Hong Kong, Microsoft, NEC,
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, SenseTime, the
Smart City Consortium and Xiao-i. |
|
The Spring Electronics Fair's Tech Hall featured five
thematic zones, including the AI & Voice Recognition zone and
the Robotics & Unmanned Tech zone. Tesla presented its latest
electric vehicle Model 3, while Alibaba.com also debuted a pavilion
using an online-to-offline format. |
HONG KONG, Apr 16, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) -
Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the
16th HKTDC Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and HKTDC
International ICT Expo both drew to a successful conclusion today
(16 April). The two fairs welcomed more than 100,000 buyers from
153 countries and regions, up 3.6% year on year. There was a
significant increase in the number of buyers from several markets,
including Mainland China, Macau, Japan, Korea, Thailand, South
Africa, Brazil, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Russia and the
United Kingdom. The Spring Electronics Fair received a total of
over 67,000 buyers, while the ICT Expo saw over 34,000 buyers in
attendance.
Benjamin Chau, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said: "In the
digital era, innovation and technology have become mega trends and
smart cities are beginning to change the way people live, work and
play. To meet the demand from buyers globally, this year's ICT Expo
and Spring Electronics Fair put the spotlight on smart city
solutions and cutting-edge electronic products. Sourcing and
business discussions were brisk throughout both events."
Independent on-site survey: respondents positive about sales
prospects in 2019
To gauge the industry's views on market prospects, product trends
and hot issues, the HKTDC commissioned an independent on-site
survey during the fairs that interviewed a total of 903 buyers and
exhibitors.
The survey found that most respondents (96%) expect overall sales
to rise (50%) or remain steady (46%) in 2019. In terms of growth
prospects in major sales markets, respondents view Korea (85%) as
being the most promising among traditional markets over the next
two years, followed by Western Europe (79%) and North America
(77%). As for emerging markets, Mainland China (77%), ASEAN (71%)
and Latin America (70%) are the most favoured by survey
respondents. Regarding product trends, the survey showed that
electronic/electrical accessories (27%), digital imaging (13%) and
audio-visual products (12%) have the highest growth potential in
their major sales or export markets in 2019.
Asked about current global issues, 59% expect that the ongoing
trade friction between the United States and Mainland China will
have no impact on the sector's export performance, while 65% of
respondents believe Brexit will have no impact. The survey also
showed that 86% of respondents are either neutral or optimistic
about smart city development in Hong Kong, thanks to the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government's push to launch
smart city initiatives.
Smart city solutions in the spotlight
This year's ICT Expo adopted the theme of Smart City, Smart Living
and featured a broad range of technologies and applications. Key
exhibitors included Cyberport, Airport Authority Hong Kong,
Microsoft, NEC, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation,
SenseTime, the Smart City Consortium and Xiao-i. In addition, the
expo featured several pavilions including those of the Office of
the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) of the HKSAR
Government and the Hangzhou Government. The "So French So
Innovative" pavilion featured more than 30 French organisations,
including multinational corporations, small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) and French start-ups that have not set up
offices in Hong Kong.
Marie-Helene Prevot, Vice President, Foreign Trade Advisors of
France, Hong Kong Committee, said: "Hong Kong is a nice platform
for companies to expand their presence in Asia and go into the
Mainland Chinese market. We are keen to explore the opportunities
presented by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area through
this expo. The pavilion is a good showcase of how French companies
integrate innovative solutions into business operations, and the
expo is a great event for us to meet with all sorts of
professionals behind the smart ideas."
In addition, the HKTDC actively invited various government
representatives to visit the fairs. They included the governments
of Zhuhai and Huizhou, the Department of Commerce of Guangdong
Province, the Economy and Informatization Commission of Zhejiang
Province, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and
Informatization, and the Shenzhen Municipal Commerce Bureau from
Mainland China; government representatives from Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in the ASEAN
region; and the UAE and Saudi Arabia from the Middle East.
Attending from Brazil was Campinas City Hall, a government entity
responsible for the city's development and management. Carlos A. S.
Passos, Science, Technology and Innovation Technical Advisor,
Department of Economic Development, Social and Tourism, said they
identified cloud data technology and automatic
number-plate-recognition technology for vehicle tracking from
Hangzhou exhibitors through the HKTDC's business-matching service
at the fair, and would further explore cooperation
opportunities.
Latest high-tech products on show at Spring Electronics Fair
A highlight at the Spring Electronics Fair was the new AI &
Voice Recognition zone, set up in the Tech Hall to meet the
market's demand for products and solutions related to these
emerging technologies. The fair also hosted multiple seminars and
networking events to help participants get a better understanding
of the latest technological trends and opportunities, including the
anchor conference, "Tech Trends Symposium 2019 - Roadmap to the
Future".
Tuya participated in the fair again to showcase smart home
appliances and AI solutions. Alex Yang, Co-founder & COO, Tuya
Global Inc, said: "We have met with new buyers from many countries
and regions covering Australia, the Americas, the Middle East and
Asia. Many of them have expressed their intention in cooperating
with us. The establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater
Bay Area helps encourage the flow of information and resources and
enhances the efficiency of overall development. Riding on Hong
Kong's role as an international financial centre, it will
accelerate the commercialisation of AI and consumer-related IoT
[Internet of Things] applications."
Buyer activity was brisk at both events. Kim Eui Geun,
Manager/Equipment & Raw Material Purchasing Team at Korea's
Hyundai Mobis Co Ltd, was joining the Spring Electronics Fair for
the first time. He said he found several potential suppliers of car
electronics products such as air purifiers, wireless chargers,
smartphone chargers, and smart watches with GPS and car key
functions. If the suppliers were suitable, he said he would likely
buy 50,000 pieces per item every year.
For more comments from exhibitors and buyers, please visit:
http://bit.ly/2GpObQ3
Photo download: http://bit.ly/2ZdRzF9
About HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council
(HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for
Hong Kong's businesses. With 50 offices globally, including 13 on
the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform
for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With more than
50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international
exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide
companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the
mainland and in international markets, while providing business
insights and information via trade publications, research reports
and digital channels including the media room. For more
information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on
Google+, Twitter@hktdc, LinkedIn.
Source: HKTDC
Contact:
Natalie Wong, Tel: +852 2584 4472, Email: natalie.hy.wong@hktdc.org
Sunny Ng, Tel: +852 2584 4357, Email: sunny.sl.ng@hktdc.org
Copyright 2019 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved.
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