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Following is a speech (English only) by the Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mrs Carrie Yau, at the opening ceremony of the Interactive, Digital and Electronic Entertainment Expo Asia today (January 18):
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my pleasure to officiate at today's opening of the Interactive, Digital and Electronic Entertainment Expo Asia (iDEA) - the first Expo of this kind ever held in Hong Kong. It is a showcase of the latest developments in interactive and digital entertainment applications and will no doubt help stimulate our local interactive entertainment industry to grow.
Since the emergence of digital technologies, interactivity has become a core component for all sorts of products and services, in particular IT and telecommunications products. Innovative technologies and applications have developed, including multi-media video games, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, etc.
The Hong Kong Government strongly supports the development of interactive and digital applications. One of the major objectives in our "Digital 21" IT Strategy is to make Hong Kong the Internet content hub of the Asia Pacific. We encourage the development and hosting of innovative and attractive Internet web sites, which include those using interactivity and multimedia technologies for entertainment purposes.
Hong Kong is well placed to become a leading exploiter of interactive and digital entertainment technologies. We have one of the world's most advanced telecommunications networks - with 100 per cent broadband coverage for commercial buildings and over 90% for domestic households, and we are looking at a 10-fold increase in external connectivity over the next 2-3 years. This telecommunications infrastructure will ensure the free flow of large quantities of high quality interactive and multi-media content. Our mobile phone penetration rate currently at 71% is amongst the world's highest, which will also serve as an excellent foundation for the quick uptake of wireless-based interactive and multimedia services.
That's where we stand now. The future holds even greater promise. The Hong Kong Government's policy is to open up the television market as well as introduce new communications technologies into Hong Kong.
In December last year, we granted four additional domestic pay television programme service licences. The new licencees will not only introduce greater competition in the pay TV market but will also stimulate demand for more innovative content, such as interactive and digital entertainment.
Another major drive for innovative applications will be the issue of 3G mobile licences in Hong Kong within this year. We will roll out the services in 2002, at around the same time that 3G services are available in other advanced economies. Our aim is to encourage competition in terms of both content and service applications.
Furthermore, Hong Kong is moving full speed ahead with R&D relating to Next Generation Internet applications. We believe that once these applications become mature, we will see 'leap frog' developments in areas such as virtual reality, simulations and artificial intelligence.
Ladies and gentlemen, the iDEA Expo will cover different themes of interactive applications, such as edu-tainment, multimedia and entertainment in the broadband and mobile communications markets. I am sure that the Expo will provide all of us with new insight into the enormous potential of different forms of entertainment in the digital age. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association for its efforts in bringing this important international event to Hong Kong. I would also wish to warmly welcome our distinguished overseas speakers who come all the way to Hong Kong to attend this event. I am sure we will be able to benefit from the experience in your home countries.
Finally, I wish you all every success. Thank you.
End/Thursday, January 18, 2001
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