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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (February 26):
Reporter: About the technology voucher scheme, can you briefly tell us how can SMEs (small and medium enterprises) really utilise it and join the scheme? Also, are you confident that you can gain approval from the Financial Secretary by the second half given the delaying tactics that is actually happening?
Secretary for Innovation and Technology: Let me answer the second part first. This Technology Voucher is part of the Innovation and Technology Fund. So it is actually a proper use of the Fund which has already been approved by the Finance Committee. This is not additional funding. We are just using the Innovation and Technology Fund. So we expect this should be able to be put into or actually used by the second half this year without the need to going through the LegCo procedures. In fact, that's true for most of the so-called new schemes announced in the Budget.
Regarding how it would help the SMEs, first of all, over 90 per cent of Hong Kong businesses are SMEs. That's one thing. And then two, these SMEs can really benefit from these new technology solutions. So what we want to do is to use this opportunity to help subsidise the ability for them to become more efficient in their business operation and also probably have more revenue source as a result. I use this restaurant as an example, but if you have for example so-called a mobile app or solution, not only can increase the efficiency of your operation, at the same time perhaps will help you to gain more customer loyalty and also more new customers.
Reporter: About the Tseung Kwan O smart production hub, how can you convince us it's not going to be turned out to be another "white elephant" project?
Secretary for Innovation and Technology: I think most people are really concerned about the fact that if we put out such building, nobody will use it. But the very fact that we came up with this pilot scheme and this design is because there are now tenants in Science Park who are requesting such facilities. So this is not really something that we kind of dream up on our own - it is actually based on actual requests and demand from tenants and these tenants are actually bona-fide, very capable tenants in the R&D areas. They are looking for so-called facilities to manufacture and in fact that Hong Kong brand can command a premium, it is also something attractive to them.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, February 26, 2016
Issued at HKT 13:40
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