Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the value of exports to Hong Kong; the outcome of recent meetings with the Ireland-Hong Kong Business Forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12067/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Exports to Hong Kong amounted to €833 million in 2004, up 21% from the 2003 total of €688 million. Hong Kong is an important business partner for Ireland in Asia, notably for services, and, in particular, for goods en route to other locations in China.

There is much potential for Irish companies there. It is both a sophisticated market for a range of our exports and a good location for the establishment of regional sales, distribution or logistics centres. Accordingly, I welcome the maintenance and reinforcement of business and other contacts between representatives of both places.

The Ireland-Hong Kong Business Forum is run by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. It is part of a worldwide network of such fora which is organised with the assistance of the authorities in Hong Kong. As a private sector organisation, its function is to enhance the relationship between its members and counterparts in Hong Kong.

Last February, the Minister of State at my Department with responsibility for Trade and Commerce, Deputy Michael Ahern, attended a function organised by the Hong Kong Business Forum to mark the Chinese new year. His attendance there, and at other such events to date, is indicative of Government support for the development of our trade and other relationships with Hong Kong.

The Taoiseach recently launched A Decade of the Asia Strategy 1999 to 2009. This recounts in some detail the importance the Government continues to place on the development of trade with eight specific Asian countries, including China, over the next five years. In the recent past there has been significant improvement in the level of our trade exports to Asia. The potential is great for doing even better in the coming five years. Accordingly, while continuing to assiduously attend to market opportunities and development prospects elsewhere, the Government and its agencies will be focusing in a strategic and coherent way on priority countries in Asia in the years ahead. China will be central in that respect.