The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC; Chinese: 香港總商會) was founded on 29 May 1861, and is the oldest and one of the largest business organizations in Hong Kong. It has around 4,000 corporate members, who combined employ around one-third of Hong Kong's workforce. It is a self-funding, not-for-profit organization that promotes and represents the interests of the Hong Kong business community. A core function of its work is to formulate recommendations on improving the business environment, which its 23 industry-specific committees constantly analyze and make regular submissions to HKSAR Government officials and policy makers.^[1]

The Chamber's key services are advocacy, events, networking and business services. It also issues Certificates of Origin, ATA Carnet, and Certificate of Business Identity among other business documentation services via its six branches around Hong Kong.

HKGCC is a member-led organization dedicated to improving the business environment in Hong Kong and its competitiveness. The General Committee is the governing body of the Chamber responsible for Chamber policies and fiscal management. Its membership comprises 24 members drawn from Hong Kong's leading business executives, professionals, bankers and industrialists.

Under the General Committee are 23 industry and specialist committees, whose members are experts in their particular industries. They provide advice and guidance to the General Committee on policy formation for Hong Kong.

Members who are eligible also elect HKGCC's representative to the Legislative Council to the Commercial (First) Functional Constituency.

HKGCC regularly organizes seminars, roundtable forums and conferences, as well as company visits, overseas business missions and networking events. On average it organizes around 500 events every year. It also regularly holds training programs to allow member companies’ staff to upgrade their skills and knowledge.

HKGCC's membership is composed of around 4,000 companies, which include multinational companies, SMEs and start-ups, from Hong Kong, Mainland China and internationally. Collectively they employ around 1 million people, or roughly one-third of Hong Kong's workforce. Over 50% of flagship corporations listed on the Hang Seng Index are members of HKGCC.

The Chamber provides certification services in 5 districts in Hong Kong, and is the biggest location network in Hong Kong. It began issuing Certificates of Origin in 1920, and is the sole authorised organisation for issuing ATA Carnet documents. It also provides Document Endorsement, Consulate Endorsement Facilitation and Paper to EDI Conversion issued are fully recognized by consulates, banks and customs houses throughout the world.^[5]

In HKGCC's report “China’s Entry into the WTO and its Impact on Hong Kong Business”, released on 18 January 2000, one of the key recommendations was to explore the possibility of setting up a regional trade agreement (RTA), also sometimes called a “free trade agreement”, as a concrete means to enhance further integration of trade and economic relations between Hong Kong and Mainland China. After China's accession to the WTO in 2001, HKGCC once again presented the idea to Tung Chee-hwa, the then HKSAR Chief Executive. The idea struck a chord with Tung who then put forward the RTA concept to the Central Government. On 20 December 2001, Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, told Tung that the Central Government formally agreed to the suggestion, and consultation would begin immediately.^[6]

In January 2002, discussions between the HKSAR and the Central governments formally began, and a regional trade agreement was hammered out and formally named “Mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement” or CEPA. HKGCC then submitted a paper entitled “Topwards a Regional Trade Agreement between China and HKSAR” to Antony Leung on 21 January 2002, put forward seven principles to guide the discussions on the RTA, emphasizing that CEPA must be compliant with WTO principles.^[7]

Despite being put on hold for months due to the outbreak of SARS during March – June 2003, negotiations resumed and CEPA's text was finally concluded by the Central and HKSAR government negotiators, and signed on 29 June 2003.

The Chamber claims to support environmental protection. In partnership with Hong Kong Business Coalition on the Environment, the Clean Air Charter was introduced in 2005 to encourage Hong Kong and Guangdong companies to reduce air pollution.^[8] More than 600 companies have endorsed the Charter.