Concerted efforts in promoting the use of IT

November 25, 1998

One key element of the Government's Information Technology (IT) strategy is to raise the awareness, confidence and familiarity of the community in the use of IT in all spheres of our lives.

Addressing at the Opening Ceremony of the Software Exhibition '98 and the 2nd International Conference on Smart Card, the Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mr K C Kwong, today (Wednesday) said he greatly welcomed the efforts made by the Hong Kong Productivity Council in organising the event.

He stressed," Promotion of the use of IT requires concerted efforts from both the Government and other bodies in the community."

The Secretary said the Chief Executive pledged in his Policy Address this year that Hong Kong should use IT to help retain its competitive edge and in driving its overall economic expansion.

He said,"To implement the IT vision of the Chief Executive, the Government has formulated the "Digital 21" IT Strategy.

"The primary objective of the Strategy is to enhance and promote Hong Kong's information infrastructure and services so as to make Hong Kong a leading digital city in the globally connected world of the 21st century."

With the theme "information technology means increasing productivity for today and a better tomorrow", the exhibition provides insights into how Hong Kong could better equip itself with IT to improve its business operations and various aspects of people's daily lives.

Mr Kwong said,"It is an annual showcase of the Hong Kong IT sector and it helps the community to increase its knowledge in the use of IT for enhancing productivity and efficiency."

"It is important that we make our investment in IT today in order to build a solid foundation for future growth and to pave the way for a better tomorrow."

Noting that smart cards are fast becoming an indispensable tool to enhance security and ease of use in electronic transactions, Mr Kwong said, "The 2nd International Conference on Smart Card will enable us to explore the latest technologies, gain market intelligence on the use of smart cards and develop innovative business strategies through smart card applications."

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