Following is a question by the Hon Lee Kong-yu and a reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (May 6):

Question:

     There are views pointing out that Mainland cities that have achieved relative success in innovation and technology (I&T) development have all relied on the government's holistic involvement in establishing platforms, co-ordinating resources and empowering enterprises, and that whether the government team has sufficient technology talents to participate in I&T development initiatives will directly impact the effectiveness of policy implementation. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the current numbers of I&T-related professionals in government professional grades (including but not limited to software engineers (programming), systems analysts, cybersecurity engineers, DevOps engineers and cloud engineers), with a breakdown by relevant government departments, as well as permanent and time-limited posts, and the proportion of staff;

(2) whether it will, with reference to the best industry benchmark ratio in the market, set targets for the manpower ratio of I&T-related professionals in the Government for the coming three years, and reserve buffer manpower while adhering to the principle of avoiding excessive recruitment, so as to support future I&T initiatives; and

(3) whether the Government has invited technology experts with experience in large-scale projects to serve as consultants to assist various departments in more effectively promoting digital and technological transformation, and whether it can provide cases to illustrate the positive impact of the involvement of such experts on the development of relevant I&T projects; if no such arrangements were made in the past, whether the Government has plans to introduce such a practice?

Reply:

President,

     Talent is the core engine driving digital transformation. Therefore, while actively promoting the development of innovation and technology (I&T) and digital transformation, we will also ensure that the government team possesses the necessary knowledge and skills to embrace advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and leverages market forces, thereby enhancing the efficiency and quality of public services.

     Regarding the question raised by the Hon Lee Kwong-yu, the reply is as follows:

(1) and (2) The professional grades in the Government that are directly related to information technology (IT) as mentioned in the question include the Analyst/Programmer Grade, the Computer Operator Grade and the Data Processor Grade. These IT professionals are mainly responsible for the study, design, development, operation, and maintenance of information systems, as well as the provision of various technical services (including system and cyber security), project management support, and data entry tasks.

     The Digital Policy Office (DPO) is responsible for managing the aforementioned IT professional grades. Relevant staff members are deployed to different units within the DPO, mainly undertaking central co-ordination and facilitation roles such as promoting the development of digital government, enhancing data governance, and fostering industry collaboration. Staff members are also posted to various bureaux/departments (B/Ds) across the Government to support system operations and project implementation, as well as to assist in the implementation of relevant digital policies and initiatives. As of end-March this year, the establishment of the three grades was about 2 200 in total.  The relevant figures and breakdown by B/D are set out at Annex.

     Promoting the development of I&T and AI is not the sole responsibility of IT professional grades; it also requires the participation of the entire civil service and different sectors of the society. In fact, I&T-related work is diverse in nature, encompassing a wide range of policy areas, technical domains and implementation arrangements, and involving various professions. The technological content is no longer confined to traditional IT. At the same time, B/Ds also attach great importance to providing comprehensive support and enabling conditions for relevant sectors. Hence, when assessing the overall human resources and capabilities of the Government in driving I&T transformation, one should not focus solely on individual establishment figures or set rigid targets for resource allocation.

     To address the demands of various IT, digital transformation and I&T projects, in addition to employing civil servants, B/Ds also engage contract staff or procure services from contractors having regard to operational needs, project nature, technology type, professional requirements, and resource allocation priorities. B/Ds may also flexibly redeploy existing manpower resources to meet operational demands. Beyond staff recruitment and outsourcing arrangements, the Government also emphasises enhancement and upgrade of skills of its manpower. Through strengthened training, staff are equipped with the latest skills and market practices to become versatile talent, thereby supporting the increasingly important work of government digital transformation and technology innovation.

(3) Under the leadership of the AI Efficacy Enhancement Team, the DPO has established a dedicated task force and invited technology companies with experience in large-scale projects to assist government departments in designing and implementing AI-driven efficacy enhancement projects. To further support the Government's digital transformation process, the DPO will bring in industry experts in AI and data science, alongside market-leading technologies, to provide technical support and strategic advisory services, and to assist in training key talents across different grades. This will help sustain and scale up AI projects while building up the Government's internal AI talent pool.

     These industry experts are gradually coming on board. Adopting a "hand-holding" approach through project management and implementation, they will enhance the ability of government personnel responsible for AI projects to identify cutting-edge technologies and apply AI effectively in practice. This will ensure that the Government's digital and technological transformation projects better meet user needs and professional standards. The projects under this initiative will be progressively rolled out this year.

     Thank you, President.

Ends/Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Issued at HKT 14:42

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