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OGCIO
22-10-2022

Special Address by Mr. Tony Wong, JP, Deputy Government Chief Information Officer, at the “Open Day of Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023 (Hong Kong SAR)” (with photos)


Jerry (Mr Jerry Ji, Managing Director of Hong Kong Enterprise Business Group, Huawei), Lawrence (Mr Lawrence Cheung, Chief Innovation Officer, HKPC), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning! It is my great pleasure to join you all at the “Open Day of Huawei ICT Competition 2022-2023 (HK)”. First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Huawei for organising this ICT competition since 2018, providing an excellent platform to enhance students’ interest in information technology (IT). The competition will not only help enhance ICT knowledge of all participants by facilitating learning and sharing among each other, but also nurture I&T talents to support and sustain the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre.

With a mission to developing Hong Kong into a smart city, the Government is committed to implement data-driven digital government services that bring further convenience to members of the public with the use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, big data and spatial data analysis. In the past few years, we have launched a number of important smart city infrastructures, including the “iAM Smart” one-stop personalised service platform, the Government Cloud Infrastructure Services (GCIS), the Big Data Analytics Platform and Shared Blockchain Platform, etc.

Riding on these infrastructural services and rapid advancement of emerging technologies, the Government is going to accelerate the digital transformation of public services to further improve the efficiency and quality of public services. We will conduct a comprehensive e-government audit in the coming three years, with an aim of reviewing the IT systems and services of all government bureaux and departments, and making recommendations that enable bureaux and departments to leverage advanced technologies to expedite the development of a smart government. We aim to turn all government services online in two years and provide one-stop digital services by fully adopting “iAM Smart” within three years so as to realise “single portal for online government services” (「一網通辦」). In addition, 100 digital government projects will be launched with the application of technology for the convenience of the public.

Easing the talent shortage currently faced by the industry is crucial to the successful development of the international I&T centre and smart city. As announced by the Chief Executive in his Policy Address, the Government will provide special facilitation measures in a targeted manner to attract top-notch I&T talent to bring with them their business or R&D outcomes to Hong Kong. Besides, we will enhance the Technology Talent Admission Scheme (TechTAS) by lifting the local employment requirement and increase the subsidies provided for research institutions and I&T enterprises for employing research talent under the Research Talent Hub Scheme. Research talent with a doctoral degree will be further provided with a living allowance. Moreover, we will build more accommodation facilities for I&T talent and offer local I&T internship opportunities to university students studying STEM programmes overseas or at Greater Bay Area (GBA) campuses established by designated local universities. The above measures will effectively enlarge the I&T talent pool to provide sufficient human resources for the development of I&T in Hong Kong, thereby driving the vigorous development of the entire industry while providing better development opportunities for young people.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Huawei and the Hong Kong Productivity Council again for the joint effort in nurturing our local tech talents and giving full support to Hong Kong’s I&T development. I wish the competition every success and all the participating teams a fruitful experience. Thank you!

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