*********************************************************
Following is the speech (English only) by the Acting Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the opening ceremony of the Business of Design Week 2004 this (November 18) morning:
Mr Victor Lo, Mr Fred Lam, Mr Lau, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted to officiate at the opening of the Business of Design Week 2004. I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone here this morning, particularly those of you who have travelled a great distance to take part in this event.
I have been involved in the promotion of services in the economy for years, and for that matter, design, in its own right and for its close association with the manufacturing process, is always something close to my heart. I can vividly recall the inception of the Hong Kong Design Centre only three years ago as a vehicle dedicated to the promotion of design as a strategic, value-adding component in business. Government support was given not only in money terms, but also in terms of infrastructure through the provision of a listed heritage building with beautiful architecture at Kennedy Road as the headquarters of the Hong Kong Design Centre.
I am most delighted to see that in this very short space of time, the Hong Kong Design Centre has firmly established itself as the flagship promotional organisation in the design sector. The Business of Design Week, which it engendered, has grown to become a prominent design event in the region. I am particularly pleased by the depth and breadth of this year's programmes. We have esteemed speakers from Europe, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States to share their valuable experience in design, branding and innovation at the conference. We also have renowned Hong Kong speakers to provide insight from a local perspective.
Design is never skin-deep. It can be a sophisticated product combining both function and form, reflecting deep human wisdom to solve problems in everyday life and carrying an identity true to our cultural heritage. Like a person without soul, a product without design is empty.
In the new economic order today, design has been well recognised as a major factor in raising competitiveness of products and services. It is an enabling process that drives innovation, creativity and efficiency so that we can gain a sustainable advantage in an increasingly global and competitive marketplace.
Hong Kong is well positioned to benefit from the pursuit of design. Strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, we have both a strong cultural heritage with a long, unique history and an open mind to receive and accept new, innovative ideas from abroad. We have become a breeding ground of first-rate designers, indigenous as well as foreign, who have developed an exceptional ability to blend the best of East and West for commercialisation. Supported by a business friendly environment and an effective protection regime for intellectual property rights, Hong Kong has firmly established itself as a regional design centre. Over the years our designers have accumulated a rich portfolio of excellent job references. Some 70% of Hong Kong design companies are engaged in exporting their services. Design has played a critical part in helping Hong Kong excel in such industries as toys, games, fashion, watches and clocks etc.
Hong Kong will continue to capitalise on the potential for further development of design in at least two ways. First, Hong Kong design has considerable potential for export to the Mainland in the wake of China's accession to the World Trade Organisation and the recent implementation of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. Second, the wider adoption of modern design by the 60,000 strong Hong Kong-related enterprises in the Pearl River Delta Region will increase the value and competitiveness of their products and services.
In order to strengthen Government's support for the wider use of design and innovation in industries to help them move up the value chain, we have launched a US$32 million 'DesignSmart Initiative' earlier this year.
The Initiative provides funding support for the development of a one-stop shop to serve as a cluster of high value-added design activities and also a meeting place for design and business sectors. We hope to create an environment where innovative ideas could be stimulated, nurtured, researched, promoted and commercialised. The Hong Kong Design Centre and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park Corporation are now closely working hand in hand with a view to launching our InnoCentre in the first half of next year.
With strong infrastructural support from Government and incessant efforts of our designers and businessmen, we are confident and determined to maintain Hong Kong as a regional design hub where design activities can continue to prosper and to contribute to our economic growth.
Finally, I would like to thank the Hong Kong Design Centre and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council for jointly organising this important and meaningful event. My sincere appreciation also goes to all the sponsors and other supporting organisations for their valuable contributions that help make the Business of Design Week 2004 such a tremendous success.
Let's congratulate all our designers!
Thank you.
Ends/Thursday, November 18, 2004
NNNN
News clip (Real
Media/Windows Media)
