Millions of dollars worth of untapped exports are to be highlighted at a trade fair marking a push to promote one of the territory's largest growing assets.
The Trade Development Council is aiming to capitalise on changes in Asian economies during the past 15 years by selling Hong Kong as the region's services hub at its annual Market Day today.
The council made service exports the focus of this year's exhibition following a call from Financial Secretary Donald Tsang during his inaugural budget speech in March for the territory to promote its trade in services.
Although the service sector has been growing by an average of 16 per cent a year since 1982 and accounts for 83 per cent of the territory's gross domestic product (GDP), manufacturing has remained the core of the council's promotional work.
'Hong Kong has been going through an economic change during the past 15 years and the service industry is now the major contributor to GDP,' Lai Ching-hung, the Market Day project manager, said.
'We are stepping up our effort because many companies in the service industry do not realise their export potential.' The council, in its 30th year, promotes and develops Hong Kong's external trade and publicises its advantages as a trading partner.