Chamber News & Policy Work

Chamber News & Policy Work 2020

The Chamber works closely with business bodies and government to facilitate business opportunities on behalf of our members. We seek to further enhance Hong Kong’s standing and effectiveness as an international business centre.

Chamber Chairman Updates - National Security Legislation (Message to Chamber Members)

"You will have seen the announcements and press coverage concerning the proposal made last week at the Third Session of the Thirteenth National People’s Congress in Beijing to introduce legislation “to safeguard national security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region”. The NPC has endorsed the decision at a vote taken on 28th May. Hereafter the Standing Committee of the NPC will be authorised to draft the detailed and specific legislation.

Click here to read the full message (member only)

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong - Appointment of Executive Director

17/04/2020

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (BritCham) is delighted to announce the appointment of David Graham as its Executive Director, effective 1st June, 2020. David succeeds Andrew Seaton who, for family and personal reasons, is retiring from the Chamber and returning to the United Kingdom. Peter Burnett, Chairman of BritCham, said: “I am personally delighted and the Chamber is very fortunate that David has agreed to become our next Executive Director. He has an exceptional knowledge of the Hong Kong business community and a career history of working in senior positions in Hong Kong which will serve the Chamber and our members very well at this important and challenging moment and for the future. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Andrew Seaton for his enormous contribution to the work and leadership of the Chamber over the last five years.”

Click here to read the full Press Release.

Covid-19 Economic Relief Package

09/04/2020

The Government yesterday launched an additional economic relief package. This consists of: a general employment subsidy scheme; a job creation programme; and sector specific measures including support for the construction and aviation industry and for sectors which have been hardest hit and forced to close in order to control the outbreak.

Peter Burnett, Chamber Chairman, has commented: “We welcome this package, which should provide much needed support to hard-pressed Hong Kong businesses. I am particularly pleased to see the support to businesses to maintain employment, which we have seen as a priority.”

The Chamber alongside other leading international Chambers wrote to the Financial Secretary earlier this month urging the Administration to implement further support to allow businesses to maintain employment.

Details from the Administration of the support measures are here .

Joint Chamber Letter to Financial Secretary: Support to Business to Maintain Employment

01/04/2020

The Chamber Chairman, Peter Burnett, along with the leaders of the American, Australian, French and German Chambers, have written to the Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, encouraging the HK Government to consider, as an urgent priority, some form of financial support to business to maintain employment.

With the Covid-19 outbreak having become global, this has significantly added to the immediate pressure on businesses. The Chambers believe that support of this sort would help Hong Kong businesses face these pressures, and most importantly help keep Hong Kong citizens in employment

Click here to read the full letter.

Chamber letter to Government on Additional Covid-19 Support for Business

01/04/2020

The Chamber’s Board met with Edward Yau – Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, to discuss the relief measures for businesses dealing with the impacts of Covid-19.

Following this productive dialogue, the Chamber has written to the Secretary reiterating two critical issues which must be addressed. The first being to provide further immediate relief measures which will support businesses to maintain employment. The second issue is ensuring the Administration has ‘button ready’ exit strategies for once the virus is waning – to ensure Hong Kong emerges from this crisis with a refreshed business proposition.

You can read the letter to the Administration online here.

Chamber Chairman’s Letter: Hong Kong / UK Free Trade Agreement

20/03/2020

The Chamber Chairman, Peter Burnett, has written to the UK Secretary of State for International Trade, on behalf of the Chamber, encouraging the UK Government to consider a Free Trade Agreement with Hong Kong as a priority as it moves ahead with its new post-Brexit trade relationships. The letter sets out the Chamber’s case for this including the opportunities for a wide range of business sectors.

Click here to see the full letter.

Letter to Chief Executive for Central Harbourfront Site 3

02/03/2020

The British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong warmly welcomes the announcement by the Secretary for Development at the launch of the 2020-21 Land Sale Programme that the tender for the New Central Harbourfront Site 3 will be managed on a “Two Envelope Approach”. Combining both design and price criteria in the tender evaluation will, in our view, result in an optimal outcome for this iconic waterfront site.

In our letter to the administration dated 2nd February 2018, we were strongly supportive of incorporating design criteria in the tender award process. These would include an imaginative, people-focused approach and improving accessibility to the waterfront for the enjoyment of all Hong Kong residents.

Click here to read the full letter to the Chief Executive from Peter Burnett, Chairman of the British Chamber.

2020 British Chamber Budget Address Policy Matching and Highlights

27/02/2020

Yesterday the Financial Secretary presented the Budget Address. Every year the Chamber draws up a paper, ahead of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address, putting forward key policy recommendations for the Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and the administration. This submission draws on the huge range of practical expertise and. knowledge across the Chamber membership, in particular in the Chamber’s specialist Committees. We back this up with regular closed door meetings with senior members of the administration; and with standalone policy or position papers.

This matching document identifies policy proposals from the British Chamber with relevant announcements in the Financial Secretary’s Budget Address. It also highlights other announcements from the Budget Address which may be of relevance and interest to Chamber Members.

Click here to view the policy matching document.