Israeli Consul-General Zohar Raz is delighted with the growth of Israeli contacts with Hong Kong over the past year. And, in a National Day message, he said he was looking forward to an even more successful 12 months ahead.
'There are already signs that commercial and trade relations are widening between us,' he said. 'I think with the transfer of sovereignty and the peace process in the Middle East they will go on getting better.
'As the representative of Israel in Hong Kong, I hope this year our relations will strengthen still further.' Pointing to the tripling of exports of Israeli high technology to Hong Kong from US$15 million to $45 million last year, Mr Raz noted the Israeli companies' leadership in sophisticated electronic applications.
High-speed telecommunications equipment leader ECI serves virtually all Hong Kong Telecom's international calls and has installations all over China.
Scitex, a pioneering visual information communications systems maker for the graphic arts, digital printers and digital video market, sells about US$40 million worth of equipment a year in the Asia-Pacific region alone.
From computer networking equipment supplied by RAD to electro-optical quality-control techniques from Orbotech and Elscint's medical diagnostic equipment, Israeli companies are at the forefront of development and marketing their products in China and around the region.
'When Hong Kong is part of China, it will be even easier and more convenient for Israeli companies to operate here,' Mr Raz said.