DSP Relocations Asia

Your DSP Relcoations Asia Office in Hong Kong DSP Relocations Hong Kong Room 1208, Fortress Tower, 250 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong. Tel : +852 2893 1000 Fax : +852 2311 3036 E-mail : corin.packwood@dsprelocations.com		Local time :

HONG KONG - FACTS AND FIGURES

Location	:	Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Total Area	:	1,104 sq km
Climate	:	Subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall.
Population	:	7,153.519 (July 2012 – estimated); Chinese 95%, Filipino 1.6 %, Indonesian 1.3 %, Other 2.1%
Government Type	:	Limited Democracy
Official Languages	:	Cantonese (official) 90.8 %, English (official) 2.8%, Putonghua (Mandarin) 0.9%, other Chinese dialects 4.4%, other 1.1%
Religions	:	Eclectric mixture of local religions 90%; Christian 10%
Currency	:	Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
Country Code	:	+852

GENERAL
The city-state Hong Kong ( or Xiang Gang in Mandarin) is one of the Special Administrative Regions (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China and it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Most commercial and financial activities are located on Hong Kong, while manufacturing is undertaken in the New Territories. Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire in 1842 and under colonial rule, Hong Kong developed into a major financial and property development centre and having a large expatriate population exerting considerable western influence. It also became a trans-shipment point for the flow of goods into China. The SAR came into being in 1997, when the region was returned to China upon termination of a 99-year lease held by the British. Despite being designated a ‘special region’ with more democracy than China itself, this is slowly changing to be homogenised with the rest of China.
LOCAL CUSTOMS & ETIQUETTE
SPECIAL BELIEFS
Visitors to Hong Kong should be aware of the following special beliefs :
The number ‘four’ is considered unlucky, as it is associated with death (the Mandarin pronunciation of ‘four’ and ‘death’ are nearly identical). Some Chinese will not take a flight or get married on the fourth of the month. The number ‘eight’ or any combination of eight (such as 8888) is considered lucky, as in Chinese ‘eight’ sounds like the word ‘prosperity’. It is beneficial to quote prices that include the digit eight. The numbers ‘three’ (life) and ‘nine’ (eternity) are also considered auspicious. The colours red (prosperity) and yellow (gold, wealth) are good colours. Green is also acceptable, signifying longevity. Dark purple, white and black are not acceptable colours. Elements of nature, including creatures, have significant meaning : - Flowing water implies that money will flow into a business, which is why many Chinese businesses have a water feature at their entrance. - A dragon implies great strength and power. - Tortoise symbolise long life. - Fish are a sign of prosperity, which is why Chinese often have fish tanks either at home or in the office. A gift depicting a fish will be well received. - A pair of lions may often be seen guarding the door of a Chinese enterprise - this is to keep evil spirits at bay.
When interacting with Hong Kongers, don’t :
Bite your fingernails in public. Beckon with your index finger. Write crosses next to people’s names or their pictures; a cross or the letter ‘x’ has connotations with death. Write a person’s name in red ink; this signifies that they are due to die. Wink at a person. Show irritation at pushing and shoving in shops, buses and trains – such acts are not considered impolite. Present items such as name cards, gifts, cash notes and credit cards using only one hand; this should rather be done with both hands. Take offence at excessive curiosity about your personal background, and being studied closely in public. Do not wear your shoes into the house. Remove shoes before entering the house and change to indoor slippers.(Same custom as Japanese and Koreans). Do not wear your shoes into the house. Remove shoes before entering the house and change to indoor slippers. (Same custom as Japanese and Koreans) Do not let Chinese “lose face” (丢脸 dui lian). Face stands for dignity, reputation, social status and integrity. Relationships are closely connected to the matter of face, giving present is a way to gain face whether it is in business or in personal relationships; present-giving is an essential etiquette. They can offer face to others (赏脸 shang lian) when they go out of their way to do someone a favour; they can leave face for others (留面子 liu mian zi) by not offending or going against someone directly; they can earn face (争面子 zheng mian zi) by doing something honourable or difficult if you are in a good relationship with the Chinese