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The Government will conduct a public consultation on the Digital 21 Strategy with a view to further driving the use and development of information technology (IT) in Hong Kong, the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr John Tsang, announced today (October 10).

Speaking during a luncheon organised by the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, Mr Tsang said the first Digital 21 IT Strategy was published in 1998, focusing on building capacity and infrastructure for both the public and private sectors to adopt IT and e-business, and to become active participants in the information economy. The strategy was reviewed and updated in 2001 to position Hong Kong as a leading digital city in the globally connected world.

"Most of the initiatives set out in the 2001 Strategy have been successfully completed. The remaining items are ongoing and proceeding on schedule. We have now put in place the right environment, infrastructure, skills and culture to encourage the development, adoption and use of IT by the entire community. Our progress and achievements have received international recognition.

"To sustain the momentum created in the last five years and to harness the benefits of IT for business, the community and Hong Kong's position in the world, the Government has formulated a draft 2004 Digital 21 Strategy and would like to seek the input of the IT industry, business, academia and the public on how we should work together," Mr Tsang said.

The new strategy proposes eight main areas of action:

Government leadership

The Government will continue to be an advocate and champion to promote Hong Kong's international image as a dynamic digital city. We will press on with our aggressive IT outsourcing strategy and e-government programme to generate not only business for the private sector, but also opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and technical development.

Sustainable e-government programme

The Government will focus on driving up utilisation, promoting customer relations management and improving customer interface, promoting horizontal integration in service delivery, enhancing government accessibility and transparency, leveraging the most appropriate technologies, and enhancing the measurement of the benefits of e-government projects.

Infrastructure and business environment

The Government will continue to promote e-business adoption, intensify the support to different sectors provided by the two flagships at Cyberport and Science Park, and strengthen our policies and regulatory framework to facilitate the development of the broadcasting industry.

Institutional review

The Government will consider the case for merging the Information Technology Services Department into the Communications and Technology Branch of the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau in order to have a co-ordinated role in promoting the development of applications and services, supporting the information industry and driving IT adoption. It will also review whether the existing regulatory structures for the telecommunications and broadcasting industries best serve Hong Kong in the era of convergence and deregulation.

Technological development

The Government will continue with its investment in research and development, and foster the development of innovative applications and services in areas including wireless technologies, digital entertainment, and open source software.

A vibrant IT industry

The Government will promote a vibrant, competitive and innovation driven IT industry in Hong Kong, through leveraging the opportunities afforded by the Mainland market, the brand-building and trade promotion efforts of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and various programmes to help the local industry enhance service quality and build capability.

Human resources in a knowledge economy

The Government will work with educational and vocational training institutions and the industry to enhance the training and skills of our workforce and the next generation. The Education and Manpower Bureau is now reviewing the progress of integrating IT in education and formulating the strategic directions for the further development of IT in education.

Bridging the digital divide

The Government will continue in its efforts to organise a wide range of programmes to bridge the digital divide in the community.

The full version of the draft 2004 Digital 21 Strategy is available from the website: www.info.gov.hk/citb/ctb. Comments and submissions should reach the Communications and Technology Branch of the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau by Wednesday, December 10, 2003.

Ends/Friday, October 10, 2003

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