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The Government today (October 18) announced a two-month public consultation on the draft 2007 Digital 21 Strategy, which sets out the blueprint for future development of information and communications technology in Hong Kong.
The vision of the Digital 21 Strategy is to build on Hong Kong's position as a world digital city by advancing Hong Kong's achievements and seizing new opportunities.
"Since the first release of the Digital 21 Strategy in 1998, we have reviewed our achievements and updated the strategy every three years to take into account technological advancements and the evolving needs of the community," the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, said. "An updated version of the strategy was published in 2001 and then in 2004."
"The theme of the 2007 strategy was 'Continuing to build on our strengths through technology across the community'," Mr Wong said. It outlines how the Government, business, industry, academia and the public could work together to achieve this goal.
"In the process of preparing the consultation document, we have sought the views of relevant government departments as well as the Digital 21 Strategy Advisory Committee, which comprises representatives from the industry, business community and academia, so have incorporated any professional inputs in the document.
"Through the public consultation exercise, we hope to seek further comments from the public," Mr Wong said.
The new strategy identifies five action areas to achieve the vision of strengthening Hong Kong's role as a world digital city:
I. Facilitating a digital economy
The Government will continue to play a significant role in supporting and facilitating ICT development.
II. Promoting advanced technology and innovation
Hong Kong needs to harness technology in enabling the economy to move up the value chain and stay competitive in the global market.
III. Developing Hong Kong as a hub for technological co-operation and trade
Hong Kong should position itself to exploit the opportunities arising from the rapid economic development on the Mainland and the emphasis placed on autonomous innovation in the National 11th Five Year Plan.
IV. Enabling the next generation of public services
The Government will continue its efforts to deepen and broaden the e-government programme so as to provide more convenient and better public services, and to encourage the public and the business sector to conduct business through the electronic channel.
V. Building an inclusive, knowledge-based society
The objective is to ensure that the benefits of ICT adoption are widely available to different segments of the community, including the under-privileged, so as to move Hong Kong towards an inclusive, knowledge-based society.
The consultation document on the 2007 Digital 21 Strategy can be downloaded from the Digital 21 website: www.digital21.gov.hk. All comments and submissions should be sent by post to the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, 2/F., Murray Building, Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong; by fax to 2511 1458 or by email to digital21@ogcio.gov.hk on or before December 18, 2006.
Ends/Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:52
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