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Following is a speech by the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development (Communications and Technology), Mrs Rita Lau, at the opening ceremony of Digital Copyright Day 2007 today (October 31): (English only)
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning! It gives me great pleasure to join you today at the Digital Copyright Day 2007.
Globalisation has spurred the search for new means and technologies to connect people for communication, for business and for infotainment. It has also brought about the rise of cultural and creative industries. The application of digital technologies in content creation not only opens new business opportunities, it is also a driving force for economic and cultural development.
Indeed, we have seen creative industry playing an increasingly important role in our economy. And the use of digital technology in the creation of innovative content is now commonplace in our everyday life.
To the users of Cyberport, we readily recognise the role Cyberport plays in the digital revolution. Not many however know that the stunning digital effect of the blockbuster movie "Shaolin Soccer" was produced here in the Cyberport, and it is the key attraction which has substantially boosted the box office receipt of the movie and enhanced its appeal in the international arena.
The Cyberport provides the infrastructure, resources and service support for all these valuable digital content to conceive and develop, and for talents to be groomed. The efficient and creative use of these facilities and resources will be crucial in helping to drive the development of our creative intellectual property. In this context, I am delighted to share with you the good news that the "Digital Copyright.hk, One-Stop Digital Content Marketplace" provided by the Cyberport resource centre has recently won the United Nations' World Summit Awards 2007 in the e-business category. The fact speaks for itself. This reflects the conviction and ingenuity of the Cyberport management to provide an efficient and common platform to drive the use of digital content. Another example is the Government-sponsored Cyberport's "Programme to Promote Legal Download of Digital Content in Hong Kong" which encourages local companies to develop innovative applications of digital rights management technology. You will have a chance to see the demonstration of the programme at today's exhibition.
To provide the right environment for creative industry to grow and develop, protection of intellectual property in digital content including computer software, film, music and arts is of paramount importance. The Government has spared no effort in public education and law enforcement work. And we believe that collaboration with industry stakeholders and the community will maximise our efforts.
For the event today, I would like to congratulate the iResource Centre of the Cyberport and the Internet Professional Association for making it possible, and the supporting organisations for their valuable contributions. I am pleased to see such a distinguished line-up of prestigious speakers and panellists covering such a wide range of interesting topics. I am sure the deliberations today will provide useful insights for us to bring our work to new heights. And in the words of Dr Kamil Idris, we should all make it our mission to foster creativity and to provide the means of protecting the fruits of creative expression.
Before closing, I wish you all an informative and fruitful day in the Cyberport. To our overseas guests, I wish you a very enjoyable stay in Hong Kong. If your schedule permits, I would urge you to stay for a few days more after the event, not just to help boost our tourism, but you may have the opportunity of bumping into the legendary Batman, the crew of which will be carrying out location shooting in Hong Kong next week for the new mega-movie, the Dark Knight. Another demonstration of the appeal of Hong Kong to creative industry production.
Thank you.
Ends/Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:50
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