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The Government has established a secure e-business environment to help build an efficient e-government, the Director of Information Technology Services, Mr Alan Wong Chi-kong, said at a conference today (July 17).

Delivering his opening remarks at the 4th Info-Security Conference 2003, Mr Wong said e-security was the cornerstone for implementing e-government, which would help improve Hong Kong's quality of life and global competitiveness.

Organised under the theme "A Smart and Secure Metropolitan - How it Inspires Business Continuity", the one-day conference has brought together government officials, academics and information technology practitioners to exchange views on various information security issues.

To position Hong Kong as a leading e-business community and digital city in the globally connected world, the Government has promulgated the Digital 21 Strategy, led by example in the delivery of electronic services and encouraged the wider use of electronic means in daily life by members of the public.

"We strive to break down bureaucracy among departments to provide more customer-oriented, value-added and one-stop government services," Mr Wong said.

The Electronic Services Delivery Scheme, which won the Stockholm Challenge Award in 2001, provides a good example of delivering citizen-friendly service electronically.

The scheme provides some 170 services from over 50 government departments and public agencies and has accumulated 3.57 million transactions since its launch in December 2000.

This year, the e-government initiative was highlighted by the launch of the Multi-Application Smart Identity (ID) Card in June.

Besides its primary function as an identity card and the voluntary choice of using it as a library card and to store a digital certificate, the smart ID card can be used to automate passenger clearance at immigration control points and be used as a driving licence in future.

Mr Wong pointed out that the smart ID card had employed sophisticated cryptographic techniques to protect the cardholder's data. It ensures that the data cannot be fraudulently altered or accessed by unauthorised parties and that the card serves as a secure platform to facilitate the development of e-government and e-business services.

"The delivery of efficient and convenient public services through the e-government initiatives require a secure and reliable environment," he said, adding that various measures have been adopted in Hong Kong to enhance its e-security infrastructure and facilities.

Various ordinances such as the Electronic Transactions Ordinance, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and the Copyright Ordinance provide an effective legal framework. The Public Key Infrastructure and the Voluntary Recognition Scheme for Certification Authorities form the backbone of the architectural framework. The Hong Kong Computer Emergency Response Team Co-ordination Centre provides the day-to-day support.

The Government is committed to the implementation of information security in bureaux and departments.

The Information Technology Services Department has promulgated information security policies and guidelines, information security standards as part of the Government's Interoperability Framework, as well as the latest information and news on information security for reference by government departments.

Noting that information security required the concerted efforts of the whole community, Mr Wong said, "In order to develop a secure and reliable e-community, public education plays a key role. We need to raise security awareness and promote the code of ethics in eBusiness."

To this end, the Government has set up the "Infosec" website (www.infosec.gov.hk) to provide a one-stop portal to enhance public access to various information security related resources and updates.

Information leaflets have been distributed and various promotional activities such as exhibitions and seminars have also been organised to get the message across.

End/Thursday, July 17, 2003

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