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The Chief Executive, Tung Chee Hwa, has tapped into a wealth of experience in the information technology field during his first official visit to San Francisco today (Thursday, HK time).

After a day of IT-related meetings, Mr Tung said that he had gained a better understanding of the essential ingredients needed to develop Hong Kong as a hub for innovation and technology.

During a breakfast meeting with the Committee of 100, Mr Tung shared ideas and experiences with the chief executive officers and chairmen of leading technology companies in California.

The Committee, formed in 1990, is a non-partisan organisation of Chinese Americans who provide an Asian-American perspective to US relations with the world's largest continent and addresses the concerns of Americans of Chinese or Asian heritage.

Committee members are leaders in a wide range of fields and from diverse backgrounds. They pool their talents to address important issues concerning the Chinese-American community as well as issues affecting Sino-US relations.

During the meeting, Committee members stressed the importance of Hong Kong establishing a close liaison with the expertise available in Silicon Valley. Committee members suggested Hong Kong nurture a cluster of experts and researchers to develop contacts and dialogue with similar IT-related professionals around the world.

It was also essential that Hong Kong maintained good English standards as English was now the universal language of business.

"Committee members also pointed out that it was important not just to conduct pure research but to develop applications of IT and associated technologies which would complement areas in which we are already strong, for example financial services and banking," a government spokesman said.

"They also suggested we do more to publicise our innovation and technology vision overseas, which would help attract people to Hong Kong in these sectors.

"It was a very useful meeting because it gave us an insight into all of the different threads that need to be pulled together to develop the right environment for the IT and innovation sectors to take off in Hong Kong."

Later in the day, Mr Tung was briefed on the work of the Bay Area Economic Forum (BAEF), a public-private regional partnership of business, government, higher education, labour and community leaders.

Founded in 1988, the BAEF develops and implements programmes to strengthen the region's competitive economy and quality of life. The BAEF's major project areas include supporting the region's science and technology infrastructure, promoting the development of digital, telecommunications and multi-media industries and promoting international trade and helping Bay Area companies to generate export sales.

Mr Tung was briefed on how the BAEF had help promote, maintain and improve the Bay Area's position as the world's leading centre for high-tech and technology innovation.

He was told that very close co-operation between industry, government and academia was needed to ensure the success of any long-term drive to develop technology-related industries and services.

During a courtesy call on the Mayor of San Francisco Willie Brown, the Chief Executive was presented a certificate proclaiming 'Hong Kong Day' in the bay city.

Mr Tung and Mayor Brown discussed San Francisco's role as the entrepot to Silicon Valley.

Mayor Brown said he was excited to see Hong Kong moving into the realm of information technology and he encouraged Hong Kong to enhance co-operation with San Francisco in these areas.

The Chief Executive delivered a keynote luncheon address during which he highlighted the long and strong bonds between Hong Kong and the United States.

He told the 700 lunch guests how Hong Kong was emerging from the Asian financial crisis and how it would continue to benefit from the continued opening up of China's economy.

Mr Tung outlined reforms and new initiatives in Hong Kong's financial services sector and stressed his determination to develop Hong Kong as Asia's premier international city and technology hub.

Tomorrow, Mr Tung heads to Silicon Valley where he will deliver a keynote address to about 800 lunch guests from many of the world's biggest and best-known information technology companies.

Mr Tung's Silicon Valley trip includes a breakfast meeting with corporate chiefs from 12 major IT corporation, and visits to four leading IT company headquarters.

Photo 1:The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, holds a certificate proclaiming "Hong Kong Day" in San Francisco presented by the Mayor of San Francisco Mr Willie Brown (right) in honour of the Chief Executive's visit.

Photo 2: The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, delivers a keynote address in San Francisco at a lunch attended by more than 700 people.

End/Thursday, July 22, 1999

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