Karin Lind-Morneston, deputy managing director of Jonkoping Chamber of Commerce heads a delegation to Hong Kong and the mainland to explore opportunities

Most Swedish companies find it is easier to go through Hong Kong to explore opportunities in the Chinese mainland, said Karin Lind-Mornesten, deputy managing director of the Jonkoping Chamber of Commerce.

Ms Morneston was heading a group of Swedish companies, mostly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from the southern city of Jonkoping to Hong Kong and the mainland. A lot of them are in the telecommunication and automobile related businesses.

"This is the fourth year I'm leading the business delegation. You would expect to see results in the long run, not immediately, but the companies who've previously been here have achieved success at such a rate which I would not have thought possible," said Ms Morneston. "Many of the companies have gone on to develop relationships with the firms they have met in Hong Kong and we expect to see some joint ventures as a result."

She is convinced that Swedish companies should use Hong Kong's platform to the mainland. "It's easier for us to go through Hong Kong because of the language and it's a legislative system we understand. There's also a large number of quality service providers here which we can use to facilitate business."  

Ms Morneston is hoping that business links could be two-way. "I hope more Hong Kong companies would find possibilities in Sweden. Jonkoping's biggest advantage is its geographical location. We are the Scandinavian hub and you can easily reach  Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen. Besides, Jonkoping is the logistics centre and every cargo has to pass through here to get to other places."

The strategic location has meant that many big companies like Ikea, Maersk and DHL have located their warehouses in Jonkoping.

Ms Morneston added that interest in the mainland and specifically in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) is running very high among Swedish firms. To highlight business opportunities in the mainland and promote how Hong Kong can help Swedish companies access these opportunities in the PRD, the Trade Development Council is organising a business seminar in Sweden in March 2006.