The Dream Factory of China

The ‘Sixth Shenzhen-Hong Kong E-commerce Development Forum’ (the Forum) jointly organised by Shenzhen Information Industry Association (SZIIA) and Hong Kong’s Internet Professional Association (iProA) was held for the first time in Qianhai.  The Forum attracted over about 300 entrepreneurs and senior executives where Shenzhen and Hong Kong industry leaders shared their insightful views on how e-commerce and other related IT emerging industries can better seize the opportunities offered by the ‘Internet Plus’ era and the accelerated development of Qianhai.  Before the Forum, Hong Kong media also toured the Shenzhen Cross-border E-commerce Pilot Trade Zone situated at the Shenzhen Qianhai Bay Bonded Port Area.

The main theme of the Forum is ‘Development Opportunities of Emerging Industries under the “Internet Plus” Plan’.  Guests of Honour who officiated and delivered speech at the opening ceremony include Dr. Xie Weimin, Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) ; Dr. Witman Hung, President of iProA cum Principal Liaison Officer for Hong Kong, Qianhai Authority; Mr. Xu Guoqi, Director of Market and Quality Supervision Commission of Shenzhen Municipality; Mr. Tian Yuhong, Director of Production Services Department, Economy, Trade and Information Commission of Shenzhen Municipality.

Dr. Xie Weimin pointed out that the Forum, as a ‘platform for the IT enterprises in Shenzhen and Hong Kong to exchange views and collaborate’, has been achieving solid results in the past 5 years.  Having it held in Qianhai this year underlines the significance of this dynamic place of policy innovation to the Shenzhen-Hong Kong cross-border e-commerce industry development.  He believes that with the golden opportunities offered by the high-speed growth of Qianhai, Shenzhen-Hong Kong e-commerce and other emerging industries will be able to foster even closer cooperation.

Dr. Witman Hung said, ‘Given this year’s main theme of “Development Opportunities of Emerging Industries in the Internet Plus era”, topics to be presented in the Forum include “applications of digital analytics techniques to evaluate brand’s digital assets”, or “latest trends in internet finance” and “cross-border e-commerce collaboration”.  I hope these can stimulate participants to formulate new ideas about Shenzhen-Hong Kong e-commerce collaboration by promoting the cooperation and communication between the 2 places, giving full play to the outstanding technological advantages enjoyed by Shenzhen talents, complemented by the marketing experience of Hong Kong talents to assist in the marketisation, further development in legal systems and internationalisation of Shenzhen, as well as developing the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Qianhai & Shekou Area of Shenzhen into an exemplary zone for e-commerce and set up trade regulations will be made to facilitate to the international market.’

Ms. Imo Chen stated that the cross-border collaboration of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong e-commerce sectors could help further the advancement and development of the enterprises in the 2 places.  ‘As a member of the electronic information enterprise, we have been sparing no efforts in promoting the communication amongst the Shenzhen-Hong Kong information sectors.  We look forward to seeing how this year’s Forum can bring about groundbreaking inspiration and visionary outlook’, he said.

On the other hand, Mr. Edmund Lee, Council Member of iProA, represented iProA and SZIIA to announce the ‘Results of the Digital Asset Performance Assessment of Well-known Brands in Shenzhen’, which concerns smart phones and watches in Shenzhen.  By means of data mining and analytical technologies, the report comprehensively assessed the digital asset performance of different brands and determined their final ranking.

SZIIA and iProA hope this assessment can help Shenzhen’s local brand enterprises better understand their industry exposure, consumer familiarity, and brand recognition and adherence on the web and social media, whilst guiding industry members towards a more thorough comprehension of mobile internet era concepts, raising their brand’s owned, paid and earned media awareness, combined with their own asset, such that they may formulate viable branding strategies and marketing plans that suit their asset best.  By applying big data and adopting the thinking mode of the mobile internet and omnichannel retail era, these enterprises may comprehensively implement adjustments in their brand building strategies and commercial operation.

The report announced the ranking of the top 10 smart phone brands in the Mainland, viz. Samsung, Oppo, Mi, vivo, Huawei, ZTE, Coolpad, Meizu, Lenovo and Apple; as for the top 10 watch brands, they are Longine, Omega, Cartier, Tissot, Seiko, Fiyta, Titoni, Citizen, Tian Wang and Casio.  At the Forum, Fiyta (Group) Holdings Ltd., Tian Wang Electronics (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., ZTE Corporation and Yulong Computer Telecommunication Scientific (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. [Coolpad] received the ‘Shenzhen Watch and Mobile Phone Industries Ten Best Brands in “2014 Nationally Well-known Brand Digital Asset Performance Assessment” Award’

 At the prize-giving ceremony, Ms. Imo Chen Secretary-General of SZIIA, presented the awards to the winners and exchanged views on ‘Opportunities offered by Shenzhen-Hong Kong Collaboration under the Internet Plus Era’ with other association and union leaders, such as Mr. Vincent Lau, Director of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Cross-border E-commerce, Mr. Emil Chan, Chairman of The Association of Cloud and Mobile Computing Professionals, Mr. Sun Wenping, Chairman of Shenzhen Mobile Communications Association and Ms. Dai Ling, Secretary-General of Shenzhen Fashion Designers Association.

Thereafter, many heavyweight guests coming from both Shenzhen and Hong Kong enterprises shared their work experience and insight in the presentation session.  Mr. Hao Dengsheng, Vice President of Kingdee Software (China) Co., Ltd. and General Manager of its Internet Financial Affairs Department, spoke on ‘ERP plus internet finance’; Mr. Li Lu, Vice President of Shenzhen Yinsheng Financial Group and Chairman of Shenzhen Yinsheng E-Pay Co., Ltd. expressed his views on ‘The innovation and implementation of third-party payment and internet finance integration’; Mr. Wu Zengxuan, Hong Kong Regional Sales Manager of Alibaba talked about ‘Secrets of international e-commerce’;  Mr. Cai Yujiang, Chief Editor of Shenzhen Wanlian Yitong Technology Co., Ltd., gave a speech titled ‘Internet supply chain financial model and case studies’; and Mr. Jason Feng, General Manager of Import Department, Globex e-Services Ltd. gave a talk on ‘Cross-border e-commerce import clearance solutions’.  In the second interactive session, Mr. Emil Chan, Vice President of iProA, engaged in an inspirational round-table discussion with 5 speakers from the previous session about ‘How best to strengthen Shenzhen-Hong Kong collaboration’ and ‘Opportunities, challenges and the future of the cross-border financial market’.

In order to enhance the Hong Kong media’s understanding of the latest development and potential opportunities offered by Qianhai, the organisers arranged for them to pay a special visit to the Qianhai Bonded Port Area before the Forum commenced.  By making reference to the regulations of free trade zones and ports around the world, the Qianhai Bonded Port Area aimed at becoming a free trade port that can compete on the international level.

Members of the media also visited Qianhai’s Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub and bore witness to the official registration ceremony of 11 Hong Kong companies therein.  The 11 companies include GoLend (offering P2P loans); Merryfun, (marriage service mobile application); Lazyant (data analysis and application); Xinyuan Mobile (software development); BIZCONLINE (cloud backup and disaster recovery solutions); ePreneur Alliance (cross-border e-trading); Ivy Space and BobBob English School (online English learning); as well as 3 social media sharing platforms, viz. Our Cam, Showmuse and Numu Limited.