Foreign firms from around the world are showcasing their innovative products in Hong Kong in a bid to use the city as a launchpad into the mainland market.

Some 5,600 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions have been taking part in seven "mega" trade fairs in Hong Kong.

Around 15 percent of them, or 820 exhibitors, focus on green and sustainable products, along with the use of innovative materials in compliance with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

Knishka Bahety, chief executive of Indian decoration and kitchenware firm, Crown Decor, said he hopes to secure more buyers from Asia, especially China, partly because of the country's growing emphasis on the environment.

"One of our products are made out of laminated boards, which is antimicrobial and has all the properties of eco-friendliness. Definitely this is 'the product of the future'," he told RTHK.

"Predominantly, we are very strong in the European market, but now with the [Iran war] we are looking for other markets so that we can spread our risks.

"China is a big market. And of course, we do export one of our brands to the mainland, and now we plan to do this even more for the China and other Asian markets," he said.

He added his firm, which joined the fairs in the SAR for the first time, hoped to widen its global reach as part of its strategy to hedge against trade disruptions.

"The reason for us coming here is also because all the international customers from various parts of the world are here, so we decided to be here to reach maximum countries at this place," he said.

Separately, Mohamed Alayat, founder of Dubai-based company, Alpha Art, which focuses on corporate gifts such as tech-enabled drinkware, was keen to explore the mainland market due to its "huge" consumer potential.

"We have inquiries before with Huawei, and they are talking about [orders of] five million pieces, we never find this kind of numbers anywhere. The China market is a huge market," he said.

The trade fairs, organised by the Trade Development Council, cover a wide range of industries, including houseware, fashion, printing and packaging, premium gifts, and intellectual properties.

First-time exhibitors include those from Finland, Germany, Iceland, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, as well as India.



Edited by Tony Sabine