The Government invites public views on the draft 2007 Digital 21 Strategy, which sets out the blueprint for future development of information and communications technology in Hong Kong.

Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong today said the theme of the 2007 strategy outlines how the Government, business, industry, academia and the public can work together to achieve the goal.

Future development: Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong and Government Chief Information Officer Howard Dickson unveil the draft 2007 Digital 21 Strategy.

5 action areas

The new strategy identifies five action areas to achieve the vision of strengthening Hong Kong's role as a world digital city. They are:

* facilitating a digital economy;

* promoting advanced technology and innovation;

* developing Hong Kong as a hub for technological co-operation and trade;

* enabling the next generation of public services; and

* building an inclusive, knowledge-based society.

To facilitate a digital economy, the Government will forge community consensus on the city's future information and communications technology development and will continue to invest in information techonology. More than $5.2 billion was earmarked for IT spending in the 2006-07 financial year.

The Government plans to promote advanced technology by strengthening Cyberport and the Science Park as hubs for innovation and technology. It will also facilitate intellectual property transfer and commercialisation of innovation through the newly established R&D Centres.

The Government will provide support to key technology areas including communications technologies, digital content development, sensor and identification technologies, software development and packaging, and next-generation Internet.

Technological cooperation hub

To develop Hong Kong as a hub for technological co-operation and trade, the Government will co-operate with Mainland authorities and Guangdong Province. It will also facilitate the continued upgrading of the workforce by developing competency standards.

The Government will explore private-sector participation to provide value-added services on the new Government portal, GovHK. It will also examine rationalising different delivery channels according to what customers need and value. A Channel Management Strategy will be developed in 2007 for this purpose.

Subject to funding approval by the Finance Committee, the Government will also pursue pilot electronic-procurement projects.

Inclusive society

To build an inclusive, knowledge-based society, the Government will lead discussions across the community toward the following five goals:

* broadband connectivity for every citizen;

* allowing every student access to information and communications technology facilities to support learning;

* more affordable access to industry software solutions; 

* information management; and

* digital rights management infrastructure and culture.

The third IT in Education Strategy will be published next year to propose specific measures to empower the education sector to better exploit the potential of information and communications technology in enriching learning and knowledge.

For full details of the consultation document click here. Views can be sent to the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, 2/F, Murray Building, Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong; faxed to 2511 1458; or emailed to digital21@ogcio.gov.hk by December 18.