Hawaii’s mission:
Get Asia business
Isle groups will travel to
By Russ Lynch
Hong Kong and Vietnam to
try to win lucrative contracts
Star-BulletinHawaii businesses will be able to make on-the-spot pitches to get their share of billions of dollars in new business in Asia at two separate trade missions to Hong Kong and Vietnam this spring.
Hong Kong has announced plans to spend $30 billion on public works over the next five years, opening up opportunities for builders, architects, engineers and other businesses, according to Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
A DBEDT announcement of the May 31-June 4 Hawaii mission to Hong Kong quoted that region's director-general of industry, Francis Ho, as saying Hong Kong is talking about specific, identified infrastructure projects. "Hawaii firms have the skills and experience to win some of these large contracts," Ho said.
Participants in the Hong Kong mission will be briefed by government officials there, visit sites and have chances to meet with former Hawaii residents and University of Hawaii alumni who can help, said Seiji Naya, DBEDT's director.
Before that, a May 19-31 mission to Vietnam will feature Hawaii's strength in the tourism and hotel industries, diversified agriculture, aquaculture and energy and the environment.
The group will visit Hanoi, Ha Long, Da Nang, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.
For Hong Kong mission information contact Rich-ard Fassler of DBEDT at 587-2775, or Johnson Choi of the Hong Kong Business Association of Hawaii at 524-5738.
Vietnam mission information is available from the Vietnamese-American Chamber of Commerce at 228-6929 or 735-2602.
