Working partners: United Kingdom's Department of Trade & Industry Permanent Secretary Robin Young and Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Francis Ho sign the second Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in information and communications technology.

Hong Kong and the United Kingdom have signed the second Memorandum of Understanding on co-operation in information and communications technology.

Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Francis Ho and United Kingdom's Department of Trade & Industry Permanent Secretary Robin Young signed the memorandum today.

The memorandum includes co-operation in the following areas:

*electronic government;

*electronic commerce;

*multimedia content creation and digital entertainment;

*software applications and products;

*internet and broadband networks and applications;

*wireless and mobile applications;

*digital broadcasting; and

*IT manpower development.

Collaboration activities between the two places is envisaged, ranging from commercial and industrial exchanges to investment and technology partnerships, and from exchange of policy and regulatory information to promoting joint research programmes and educational exchanges.

First pact strengthened bonds between two places

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Ho said the bonds between Hong Kong and the UK had been strengthened with the signing of the first ICT pact between the two governments in 1999.

He looked forward to another fruitful period of co-operation between Hong Kong and the UK that would create value for the industries and communities in both places.

Sir Robin was delighted that the agreement provided a valuable framework for discussion and co-operation as both administrations pursued a common aim of establishing a highly competitive, dynamic and knowledge-based economy.

Hong Kong has long been, and will continue to be, an extremely important trading partner for the UK, he added.