Hong Kong Forum 2008

We take individual privacy seriously. This Statement explains our policies and practices.
We respect your privacy and we promise:

to implement computer, physical and procedural safeguards to protect the security and confidentiality of the personal data we collect
to limit the personal data collected to the minimum required to provide a better service
to permit only properly trained, authorized employees to access personal data
not to disclose your personal data to external parties unless you have agreed, we are required by law or we have previously informed you.

Information collection
In order to provide a better service to you, we may collect information when you register with us, use our services, attend our functions, or communicate with us.
As part of our mission to facilitate Hong Kong trade, we collect information and maintain a database about Hong Kong and overseas companies. In the process, we also collect personal information about individual contact persons of the companies or their employees.
If specific information is requested but not supplied, we may be unable to provide the requested service.
We only retain personal data for so long as it is necessary. However a copy may be archived indefinitely.

Use of information
The purposes for which information may be used by us in and outside Hong Kong include:

processing applications
providing services to facilitate trade between Hong Kong and overseas, and providing enquirers with contact and business information
our operations, e.g., incorporation into our database, analysis, research and auditing
notification of HKTDC trade fairs in Hong Kong and promotional events or trade fairs around the world
distribution of HKTDC publications and research materials
marketing HKTDC services or products
complying with laws in or outside Hong Kong
legal proceedings, including collecting overdue amounts
other related purposes.

We may conduct direct marketing via fax, email, direct mail, telephone and other means of communication, or send e-newsletters to you. You may choose not to receive promotional materials, by simply telling us, and we will cease to do so, without charge.

Disclosure
We will keep the personal data we hold confidential but may provide information to:

personnel, agents, advisers, auditors, contractors, financial institutions, and service providers in connection with our operations or services
our overseas offices, affiliates, business partners and counterparts
the public, including persons enquiring about Hong Kong companies
persons under a duty of confidentiality to us
persons to whom we are required to make disclosure under applicable laws in or outside Hong Kong
actual or proposed transferees or participants of our services

We cannot control how third parties use information.

Cookies [applicable to online user]
Cookies are commonly used to facilitate transmission and to provide more useful features. It is a piece of data stored in your computer. We use these devices to find out more about the use of our websites and user preferences, in order to improve our services. We may share summarized traffic data with advertisers. We note traffic, pages visited and time spent. You are not identified. However if you agree by registering with us, we may link the information to you, so that you may receive information more suited to your interests.
You may set your browser to reject cookies, or tell you when a cookie is being sent.
Cookies are necessary for some features of the website to work, e.g., to maintain continuity during a session. If they are not accepted, those features may not work properly.

4.1

We use an email delivery and marketing company to send emails that you have agreed to receive. Pixels tags and cookies are used in those emails and at our website to help us measure the effectiveness of our advertising and how visitors use our web site. For more information about the technology used to deliver our emails, or how to set your browser to reject cookies, please click here:
<http://www.doubleclick.net/us/corporate/privacy/privacy/email/default.asp?asp_object_1=&>

4.2

We use a third-party advertising company to serve ads when you visit our Web site. This company may use information (not including your name, address, email address or telephone number) about your visit to this Web site in order to provide advertisements about goods and services that may be of interest to you. In the course of serving advertisements to this site, our third-party advertiser may place or recognize a unique "cookie" on your browser. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by this company, please click here: <http://www.doubleclick.net/us/corporate/privacy>

Security
Personal data stored electronically are password-protected. Encryption technology is used on our secured web areas. Our computer systems are placed in restricted areas. We only permit authorized employees to access personal data. These employees are trained on our privacy policies.

Hyperlinks [applicable to online user]
Hyperlinks to other websites are provided for your convenience. You will leave our website for another location that is not controlled by us. Our privacy policies do not apply to other websites. Please refer to the privacy policies of the other websites.

Changes
We may update this Statement. When we do, the changes will be posted on info.hktdc.com/privacy/index.htm.

Your consent and rights
By using our service, making an application or visiting our website, you consent to the collection and use of your information as outlined in this Statement.
Under the Hong Kong Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, individuals have the right:

to check whether we hold personal data about you and to access such data
to require us to correct inaccurate data
to ascertain our policies and practices in relation to personal data and the kind of personal data held by us.