Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | Brand Hong Kong

GovHK | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | Home | Content | What's New


Archive > Year 2001 > ITSD > Speeches and Presentations in Year 2001


Opening Speech by Mr Y C Cheng, Acting Director of Information Technology Services at the Tripartite Forum on Commercialization of IT Research Results 2001
19 June 2001

Professors, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon! It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the Tripartite Forum on Commercialization of IT Research Results 2001. This is the third time that ITSD organizes this annual event in collaboration with the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation and the Hong Kong Venture Capital Association.

With an aim to bolster the development of information technology in Hong Kong, the Tripartite Forum on Commercialization of IT Research Results is organized to provide a channel for acquisition and transfer of technology. This in turn can bring about technology upgrade and foster innovations to the Hong Kong economy.

Today, I am very pleased to see that the Forum has once again attracted so many distinguished practitioners and researchers from the academia, the Venture Capital industry and the IT industry. This reflects our common belief that innovation and technology are the crucial means to sharpen our future by enhancing our competitiveness and improving our productivity.

Despite the recent downturn in the dot-coms in Hong Kong, I believe this has not posed any genuine threat to our IT development. On the contrary, it provides an opportunity for consolidation. While I am sure that all of you have some viable and well designed business plans to capture the business opportunities, I assure you that the Government will continue to play a vital role to facilitate the development of information technology and to strengthen the private sector’s capability to develop innovative ideas for commercial use.

To strengthen our capability of developing innovative ideas, the Government has established the HK$5 billion Innovation and Technology Fund to finance projects that will contribute to innovation and technological upgrading of our industries. Venture financing is also provided through the HK$750 million Applied Research Fund to our private sector to assist companies undertaking technologically innovative projects with real commercial potential.

Our flagship IT infrastructure development, the Cyberport, is now taking shape on the western shore of Hong Kong Island. This new project will create an environment where creativity will be enhanced by the fruitful exchange of ideas and technology among local and international talents.

To further capitalise on the rapid technological advances and to promote further development of IT, we have recently launched the 2001 Digital 21 Strategy. The successful implementation of the new strategy will certainly help to stimulate IT development and investment as well as the commercialization of the technology developed for community exploitation.

What we intend to do today is to connect the right people with the right technology so as to generate momentum for success. With distinguished practitioners and researchers like you gathering together, I very much hope that the exchange of ideas will bring about success stories on research commercialization and innovations for Hong Kong. I hope you will find this Forum an opportunity for business networking and for building synergy among various stakeholders.

In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partners, the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation and the Hong Kong Venture Capital Association for their dedication in organizing this Forum with my department. I would also like to thank the Hong Kong Productivity Council for their generous support to us. Last but not least, my sincere thanks also go to the researchers from the six local universities and the industry who are going to bring us their quality research results which represent some of the most advanced and innovative IT developments in Hong Kong.

I hope you will find today's Forum interesting and rewarding.

Thank you.



- ENDS -


Top

2003 © | Important notices | Privacy Policy | Last review date : 30 September 2009

End of page