Patrick Yeung, centre, Cathay Pacific manager for Southeast Asia, announces the launch of ‘The Wing Awards’ contest at the Conrad Hotel in Bangkok yesterday. The contest is designed to promote trade between Thailand and China.

The event in celebration of the Hong Kong-based airline's 60th anniversary will see companies winning free trips for their executives to attend a workshop at Tshinghua University, where Chinese officials and scholars will provide a rare insight into doing business in China for the winners.

The Wing Awards are designed to promote trade between Thailand and China. The event is being held in Thailand this year for the first time.

The contest comprises three categories.

Platinum Wing is for Thai companies that have demonstrated a long-term business commitment in Hong Kong or China.

Secondly, the Emerald Wing is awarded to a Thailand-based company that has contributed to the wellbeing of the local community and environment where it operates.

Finally, the Diamond Wing honours small or medium enterprises (with up to 250 employees) for their achievements in Hong Kong or China.

The Wing Awards were modelled on the success of the Cathay Pacific Awards programme in Britain, which was launched two years ago to honour the ever-burgeoning business activities between the UK and China.

Companies will be selected by an advisory panel comprising Zhang Jiuhuan, the Chinese ambassador to Thailand; Dr Boonsong Srifuengfung, president of the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce; KK Lam, director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office; Loretta Wan, regional director for Southeast Asia and India at the Hong

Kong Trade Development Council; Pana Janviroj, president of The Nation, and Patrick Yeung, general manager for Southeast Asia of Cathay Pacific Airways.

Thailand and China have been trading with each other for centuries. One of the judges, Dr Boonsong, is no stranger to Thai-Chinese business conduct. His grandfather came to Siam on a junk during the reign of King Rama III.

"Thais and Chinese are like siblings and we should continue to encourage such a brotherly relationship," said Dr Boonsong. "China has such a huge market. If you can spot the right opportunity, you will be rich."

The Hong Kong government has also lent its support. KK Lam said that the population of the Pearl River Delta alone stands at around 400 million - the same as all of Asean combined.

He said that Hong Kong was poised as the professional support centre for China, offering services in finance, logistics and other trade-related areas. Ninety per cent of Hong Kong's GDP comes from the service sector.

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, which has recently relocated its regional office from Singapore to Bangkok, will partly contribute to the economic process by helping small and medium enterprises to market their products and pair them with the right business partners. Its website alone has seven million daily visitors, said Loretta Wan of HKTDC.

The Wing Awards come at a time when CEPA II (Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement II) is gaining momentum. The agreement was that any company will receive zero tariff duty when exporting to Guangzhou if it has added 30 per cent in value to the Hong Kong economy through packaging, research and development and advertising.

Ki Nan Tsui

The Nation