Hong Kong will target four key industries in its inaugural efforts to establish the city as a product testing and certification hub. The aim is to establish solid credentials in the target areas within the next three years.

Areas targeted by the Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification (HKCTC) are traditional Chinese medicine, construction materials, food and jewelry. All are seen as holding major market potential for Hong Kong. Also cited for growth potential were the emerging industries of environmental protection and information and communications technology.

The HKCTC was established in September 2009 with a mandate to spearhead healthy development of the industry. Testing and certification is one of the six economic areas identified by the Task Force on Economic Challenges as having outstanding development potential for Hong Kong's economy.

Since it was established, the HKCTC has been collecting views from relevant stakeholders to formulate the three-year development plan.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang said the administration remains fully committed to developing the testing and certification industry and promise to give careful study to the HKCTC's recommendations.

According to findings by the Census and Statistics Department, there were about 700 Hong Kong establishments engaged in testing, inspection and certification activities in 2009. Among them, 570 were private enterprises.

Lee Wai-kwok, Executive Director of Castco Testing Centre Ltd which provides testing, calibration and consulting services for the construction industry, welcomed the HKCTC's recommendation, saying it would help the industry to grow.

"If Hong Kong develops testing for construction raw materials such as silicone sealant and plumbing, it will bring a huge market to Hong Kong. Think of the mainland. Enterprises need to have their construction materials tested before export. If Hong Kong becomes a testing and certification hub, we will greatly benefit from it," he noted.

On implementation side, HKCTC Chairman Ching Pak-chung said, "Efforts will first be focused on the enhancement of the accreditation service and factors of production since they form the fundamental framework of the testing and certification industry."

Once the tasks are largely on track, the HKCTC will proceed to work on the four selected trades, for which panels would be formed to spearhead the development work.

He added that promotion of the industry through various channels in conjunction with partners such as the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Productivity Council would also begin.

The HKCTC said the main challenge of the industry is attracting talent to join the pool and ensure an adequate manpower supply. The professionals currently employed in the industry are graduates trained in local universities and through Vocational Training Council (VTC).

In view of the increasing needs, Lo Lee Oi -lim, deputy executive director of VTC, expressed the view that VTC is well-prepared to meet the demands of the industry. "The report is the starting line. We will study how to run relevant courses based on our past experience together with the requirements of the industry," she said.

Financial Secretary John Tsang announced in his budget speech that HK$41 million has been allocated to support further development of the testing and certification industry in the coming two years.

(HK Edition 04/01/2010 page1)