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The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, has taken part in a comprehensive round of in-depth briefings and discussions on Israel's high-tech industrial development.

Mr Tung and the Hong Kong delegation, which includes Secretary for Trade and Industry Chau Tak Hay and Director-General of Industry Francis Ho, met a wide range of industry figures during yesterday's (Tuesday's) programme.

Discussions were held with Israel's Minister for Industry and Trade Natan Sharansky, the ministry's Chief Scientist Dr Orna Berry, professors from academic institutes and business leaders from the electronics industries.

Mr Sharansky said Hong Kong was one of Israel's main partners in Asia, with total trade of more than US$1 billion.

He said there were several fields in which Hong Kong and Israel could 'join forces' to expand business and trade ties.

"Traditionally our main [trade] field was diamonds and that still remains but there is clear shift from traditional areas to high-tech areas," he said.

"Whether we are talking about new technologies in agriculture, whether we are talking about biotechnology or about telecommunications those are the fields our relations can develop.

"Before this visit our Chief Scientist Orna Berry especially went to Hong Kong where there were exchanges of information about our unique experience in developing and support of R&D in our projects and encouraging co-operation between academia and industry and in our technological incubators where their ideas are turned into successful start-ups."

Following the meeting Mr Tung was presented with an Israeli invention dubbed a 'Quicktionary' which looks like a pen and uses laser technology to read English and translate it into Chinese.

During a visit to the world-renowned Hebrew University, the Chief Executive was briefed on the work of the DA'AT Consortium, a cutting-edge research and development facility jointly funded by government and industry.

DA'AT - which means 'knowledge' in Hebrew - brings together the government, academic and private sectors to develop new technologies to manufacture drugs or drug treatments.

This area is of interest to the Chief Executive, who is keen to develop Hong Kong as a centre for the commercialisation and research of traditional Chinese medicines.

DA'AT chairperson Professor Rachel Nechushtai, told Mr Tung that technological developments could significantly reduce the time needed to develop new drugs.

"Using the traditional method of developing a drug from a plant would take between 20 to 25 years," she said. "But by using the type of technology and techniques we are developing we could shorten the process to about five years."

During another briefing in Tel Aviv, Mr Tung was given an overview of high-tech industrial development and investment in Israel.

During the briefing, Director-General of Industry Francis Ho explained Hong Kong's commitment to developing a knowledge and technology-based economy.

Topics covered included human resources, infrastructure such as the Pak Shek Kok Science Park, creating a pool of research and development talent, nurturing technology 'entrepreneurs' and developing international co-operation through ongoing exchanges and visits with country's such as Israel.

Later today, Mr Tung enters the last day of his programme with visits to satellite, telecommunications and multi-media companies as well as the renowned Weizmann Institute of Science.

Mr Tung leaves Tel Aviv later tonight and is due to arrive in Hong Kong on Thursday afternoon.

Ends/Wednesday, February 3, 1999

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