FRANKFURT, March 13: Hi-tech groups from Hong Kong at the world’s biggest technology fair, the Cebit in Germany, are ignoring industry gloom and trying to put their stamp on the telecommunications sector and wireless technology.

“The conditions are favourable for companies from Hong Kong,” to set themselves up in new markets says an upbeat June Weng, head of promotions at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC).

About 100 of the companies are present at the giant Cebit fair in the northern German city of Hanover, the same number as in 2002 despite a drop of 20 per cent overall in the number of firms taking part this year.

In-Tech Enterprise, a specialist in the telecoms sector, has come to market its “Abe” brand name of products using the new Bluetooth wireless technology.

With Bluetooth, you can even answer your cell phone without taking it out of your pocket.

“Bluetooth is in fashion, demand is growing, so we are also focusing on this technology,” says Annie Yeung, head of project development.

On the stand next door, Tsuen Shing Enterprises is showing off its new walkie-talkie with colour screen that allows parents to watch over a sleeping child from a distance. Communication between the two devices is also assured by Bluetooth.

In contrast to In-Tech, Tsuen Shing does not sell under its own brand name. It prefers to work for distributors, like Dixons in Britain, or sell its product to wholesalers for between 10 and 12 dollars a unit, says company representative Y.K. Chieng.

Brilliant System has specialized in Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) for the last decade and it has come to Cebit not just to meet clients old and new, but to evaluate the latest market innovations.

“We have made some large investment efforts in research and development to improve the function of our PDAs, especially on colour models,” says group head George Chan.

At Cebit, where some 6,500 companies from 49 countries will be exhibiting their wares until March 19, most of the firms from Hong Kong are telecoms sector specialists, while some others are computer technology sub-contractors.

Most of the companies have their factories in mainland China, with their headquarters and sometimes research centres based in Hong Kong.

“Many producers have set up their factories in China to improve their competitiveness. At the same time, they are constantly looking to move up the quality chain by developing more sophisticated and top-of-the-range products,” Weng at HKTDC says.

Exports of telecoms products from Hong Kong grew by 22 per cent to $16.2 billion in 2002, the council says.

At the hi-tech fair in Hong Kong last month, around 80 per cent of participants said they thought the sector would remain stable in 2003.—AFP