The Government has set up a new Digital 21 strategy advisory committee to advise it on information technology and related matters.

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology John Tsang will chair the committee. It  will advise the Government on the strategies, programmes and measures to attain and advance the goals set out in the Digital 21 Strategy, the blueprint for information and communications technology development in Hong Kong.

The committee replaces the Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee which was established in 1998 with a focus on the development of Hong Kong's information infrastructure.

The transformation of the technological and industrial landscape since then has called for greater emphasis be placed on the deployment of ICT, software development, digital and multimedia applications on a variety of platforms, and the convergence of telecoms, broadcasting and the Internet.

Mr Tsang says the committee will have a focus "that is broad, clear and yet strategic and specific, similar to our Digital 21 Strategy, which will be updated on a regular basis."

The latest Digital 21 Strategy was published in March after a two-month public consultation exercise ended in December, 2003.

A total of 18 non-official members and four ex-officio members have been appointed to the committee for a two-year term beginning October 1.

"It provides a good mix of talents and expertise, a balance of views, as well as enthusiasm that inspires initiative," Mr Tsang said.

"I am confident that the new committee will provide the Government with valuable advice and insights to advance the development of IT in Hong Kong and sustain its position as a leading digital city."

Membership includes a good mix of expertise

Apart from the Chairman, the committee members include the following non-official members:

* Hong Kong Jockey Club IT Executive Director Steve Beason;

* Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Computer Science Professor Samuel Chanson;

* Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Limited Chief Executive and Executive Director Paul Chow;

* IBM Asia Pacific Service Corporation Vice-president, Business Partners, Cordelia Chung;

* CyberM International (Holdings) Limited Chairman and Managing Director Duncan Lau;

* Hong Kong Computer Society President Sunny Lee;

* Hong Kong Article Numbering Association Chief Executive Anna Lin;

* Lenovo Group Limited Executive Director, Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer Mary Ma;

* Electronic Arts Regional Director, Market Research & Development Mike McCabe;

* Chinese University of Hong Kong Professor and Director, Human-Computer Communications Laboratory, Department of Systems Engineering & Engineering Management,  Professor Helen Meng;

* Hong Kong Information Technology Federation President Charles Mok;

* Computer & Technologies Holdings Limited Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ng Cheung-shing;

* Hong Kong CSL Limited Chief Executive Officer Hubert Ng;

* Legislative Council Member for the IT Functional Constituency Sin Chung Kai;

* Group Sense (International) Limited Chairman Samson Tam;

* ESRI China (Hong Kong) Limited Chief Executive Officer Dr Winnie Tang;

* Sun Microsystems Greater China President Daniel Yu; and

* Citic Pacific Limited Deputy Managing Director Norman Yuen.

The following are ex-officio committee members:

* Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology (Communications & Technology);

* Commissioner for Innovation & Technology or his representative;

* Director-General of Telecommunications or his representative; and

* Government Chief Information Officer or his representative.