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Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the presentation ceremony of the 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this evening (February 27):
Secretary Wong (Joseph W P Wong), Professor Poon (Chung Kwong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. I am delighted to be here at the 2005 Hong Kong Awards for Industries. It is always an honour to spend some time with the industrialists who help fuel Hong Kong's economic growth, especially on an occasion when you reward outstanding achievement in your field.
Combining the Hong Kong Awards for Industry with the Hong Kong Awards for Services to create the Hong Kong Awards for Industries is an apt reflection of how our economy has been transformed in recent decades.
The Hong Kong Awards for Industry, launched in 1989, encouraged excellence in the manufactory industries, which played a dominant role in our economy at the time. As the economic focus shifted more to finance and trading in the 1990s, the Hong Kong Awards for Services were born. Today, we see increasing integration between manufacturing and services as more and more services content is injected into the manufacturing process. So, it is entirely appropriate that the two award schemes have been consolidated.
As always, our industries anticipated a challenge and seized an opportunity. With intensifying competition from neighbouring low-cost economies, Hong Kong could no longer compete on price alone, nor could manufacturing focus only on production. Industries needed to move up the value chain, from OEM to ODM and OBM. Now they need to venture into pre-production stages, such as market research and product design, as well as post-production activities like product promotion, marketing and customer service. For many enterprises these days, innovation is the key to success. R&D has assumed much more importance in corporate development strategy. Brand building also features prominently as a means to capture the hearts - and the wallets - of buyers and consumers.
To maintain our success in the keenly competitive global market, we must ensure that Hong Kong remains the premier location for the headquarters of these industries: where strategic decisions are taking, control of diverse plants is exercised, R&D is conducted, prototypes are perfected, marketing efforts are synchronised, and logistics are co-ordinated. We all need to work together to achieve this mission.
That is why the Government has been investing heavily in our R&D and design capabilities. Five R&D Centres are being set up to undertake industry-oriented research in selected technology areas. These will strengthen Hong Kong's technology base and support development in those areas in which Hong Kong has competitive strength. At the same time, we have launched the DesignSmart Initiative, comprising a Design Support Programme and an InnoCentre, to help nurture design and innovation, and instil in our industries high value-added, high intellectual property and creative content.
The perseverance of our industrialists -- the tireless pursuit of excellence -- is a constant source of inspiration for us all. The winners of this year's awards have shown us how Hong Kong companies can excel amid global competition. Their success owes much to the hard work and dedication of people at all levels in their enterprises. Indeed, strong teamwork and an excellence culture underpin all our quality products and services.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Hong Kong Awards for Industries is a showcase of how government and the private sector can work together to raise the profile of Hong Kong's manufacturing and services sectors, locally and internationally, to promote competitiveness, and to maintain the pursuit of excellence. I wish to thank the seven lead organisers and the panels for their efforts in putting together this event. This awards scheme plays an important role in expanding the community of innovative, outstanding enterprises in Hong Kong, Asia's world city.
Thank you, and my warmest congratulations to all the winners.
Ends/Monday, February 27, 2006
Issued at HKT 20:09
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