A secure e-business environment has been established to help build an efficient e-Government, Director of Information Technology Services Alan Wong says.

Speaking at the Fourth Info-Security Conference today, Mr Wong said e-security is the cornerstone for implementing an e-Government and helps improve Hong Kong's quality of life and global competitiveness.

To position Hong Kong as a leading e-business community and a digital city, the Government has promulgated the Digital 21 Strategy, led by example in the delivery of electronic services, and encouraged the wider use of electronic means in daily life by the public.

He said the administration strives to break down bureaucracy among departments to provide more customer-oriented, value-added and one-stop Government services.

The Electronic Services Delivery Scheme, which won the Stockholm Challenge Award in 2001, is a good example of delivering citizen-friendly services electronically.

It provides 170 services from over 50 departments and public agencies and has accumulated 3.57 million transactions since its launch in December 2000.

Meanwhile, the e-Government initiative was highlighted by the launch of the multi-application Smart ID Card in June.

Besides its primary function as an identity card and the voluntary choice of using it as a library card and to store a digital certificate, the smart ID card can be used to automate passenger clearance at immigration control points and be used as a driving licence in future.

Mr Wong said the smart ID card had employed sophisticated cryptographic techniques to protect the cardholder's data.

It ensures that the data cannot be fraudulently altered or accessed by unauthorised parties and that the card serves as a secure platform to facilitate the development of e-Government and e-business services.

The Government is committed to the implementation of information security in bureaux and departments.

The Information Technology Services Department has promulgated information security policies and guidelines, information security standards as part of the Government's Interoperability Framework, as well as the latest information and news on information security for reference by Government departments.

The Government has also set up the Infosec website to provide a one-stop portal to enhance public access to various information security related resources and updates.