Government's IT strategy receives a boost

March 4, 1999

The business community has cast a clear vote of confidence in the Government's "Digital 21" Information Technology Strategy which aims to enhance and promote Hong Kong's information infrastructure and services, the Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mr K C Kwong, said.

Citing the Cyberport project announced by the Financial Secretary in his Budget Speech as an example, he said a leading information services company in the private sector had agreed in principle to partner with the Government to develop this project which is estimated to cost US$1.6 billion. A fair number of leading multi-national companies in the IT field have already expressed their interest to become anchor tenants at the Cyberport, he added.

"The project will cater not just for the needs of multi-national corporations, it will also cater for the needs of smaller local companies through the provision of shared facilities in the Cyberport, such as multi-media laboratories and broadband telecommunications infrastructure.

"Also, these local companies should benefit from the closer contact and exchange of ideas with the multi-nationals," Mr Kwong said.

Mr Kwong was addressing the luncheon gathering of local and overseas experts in the IT and telecommunications field who are participating in the Hong Kong Information Infrastructure Expo and Conference 1999 today (Thursday).

Among the participants are high-level delegations from the Mainland of China, Australia and Canada. They are led respectively by Mr Zhou Deqiang, Vice Minister of Information Industry, the People's Republic of China; Senator Richard Alston, Minister of Communications, IT and the Arts, Australia; and Mr Kevin Lynch, Deputy Minister of Industry, Canada.

Mr Kwong told the participants that the "Digital 21" Strategy set out the vision, initiatives and targets of how Government, business, industry and the academia could work together to make Hong Kong a leading digital city in a globally connected world.

It presents an all-encompassing strategy based on four key components : developing high capacity telecommunications networks through which digital information flows; developing an information infrastructure with an open and common interface for electronic transactions; equipping students with IT knowledge and skills; and developing Hong Kong into an Internet hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

In support of this strategy, Mr Kwong said the Government would stimulate research and development in the private sector so that innovative ideas and concepts could be transformed into generic technologies for commercial applications.

He said, "We will set up a HK$5 billion Innovation and Technology Fund to finance projects which will contribute to innovation and technological upgrading of our manufacturing and service industries.

"We will also establish an Applied Science and Technology Research Institute to support and stimulate mid-stream research."

Earlier in his opening address, Mr Kwong called on participants to visit the "Government Online" pavilion at the II Expo.

The pavilion features the current electronic services of various Government departments and public agencies as well as a simulation of the Electronic Service Delivery scheme which is being developed for the delivery of public services on line. There will also be a demonstration of a new Internet-based service - the Interactive Government Services Directory (IGSD).

IGSD is a pilot project under the "Digital 21" Strategy. It presents an interactive and innovative way for the public to obtain Government information and services electronically over the Internet, thereby promoting the wider adoption of electronic transactions within the community.

IGSD offers a user-friendly telephone and web site directory on public services as well as an interactive service covering employment, business investment and road traffic information. The project will be officially launched on 11 March.

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