Some of the biggest consultancy firms have reportedly asked their executives in the US to avoid carrying their usual work phones in their visits to Hong Kong.
According to a report in the Financial Times, Deloitte and KPMG have asked some of the executives based in the US to not use their work phones, while a number of McKinsey consultants have also travelled to Hong Kong with separate phones.
The financial daily quoted an executive at a global consultancy, who claimed that some senior employees are now hesitant to visit Hong Kong as they would have to leave their phones behind, leading to inconveniences.
As per the report, the move comes after China’s increasing control over Hong Kong, where many global companies have their Asia-Pacific headquarters.
While Deloitte, KPMG, McKinsey declined to comment, PwC said it doesn’t have a policy, and EY said it was not aware of such restrictions for Hong Kong trips, the report stated.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s exports rose last month for the first time in more than a year as trade with China improved, reported Bloomberg. This has provided a much-needed optimism for Hong Kong’s economic outlook.
Overseas shipments grew 1.4 per cent in October, while imports grew 2.6 per cent from a year earlier. Overseas shipments grew to HK$379.9 billion, while imports grew HK$405.6 billion, with trade deficit amounting to HK$25.8 billion.
Shipments to China expanded 5.6 per cent, while those to India, Vietnam, and Thailand grew by double digits.
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