Corporate confidence: BASF East Asia Regional President Dr Dietmar Nissen and InvestHK Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Ophelia Tsang.

The BASF Group, one of the chemical industry's global leaders, has expanded its greater China and East Asia headquarters in Hong Kong.

The German group established its roots in Hong Kong in the early 1980s with a representative trading office. Hong Kong is now the home of the company's greater China and East Asia headquarters with more than 260 employees.

Attending the opening ceremony of its new headquarters today, InvestHK Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Ophelia Tsang welcomed the company's decision to invest here.

"Our world-class infrastructure and well-trained multi-lingual workforce, as well as our easy access to quality financial, legal and other professional services have made us a premier location not only for establishing a corporate presence in the Asia Pacific [region] but also for managing the growth of a company's business within the region," Ms Tsang said.

"We welcome BASF and other multinational corporations to establish Hong Kong as a decision-making centre to manage their operations in the Asia Pacific [region]. This is a win-win proposition for all concerned - contributing to the success of the company's business while providing a boost to Hong Kong's economy."

BASF East Asia Regional Headquarters President Dr Dietmar Nissen said Hong Kong remains an important gateway for trading with the Mianland and the rest of Asia.

"The professionalism of the working population and their industrious work attitude are among those qualities that we value here," he said.

"Hong Kong's response to SARS demonstrates the vitality and the caring mind which goes in line with our corporate philosophy to contribute to the communities where we operate. We look forward to [pursuing] further business opportunities here in the years to come."

BASF has experienced unprecedented regional growth during the last decade. The company is the largest foreign investor in the Mainland's chemical industry with eight production facilities employing more than 2,600 people.