Working Report of
Legislative Councilor Samson Tam Wai Ho
(Information Technology)

(July 2011)

中文

I. Focus Updates

1.    立法會支持政府研究成立創新及科技局
The LegCo supports the Government on studying the establishment of an Innovation and Technology Bureau

On 6 July, I moved a motion of “studying the establishment of an Innovation and Technology Bureau” in the LegCo and urged the Government to start the study as soon as possible. In the meantime, I hope the LegCo members and different political parties will actively take part and promote Hong Kong in developing its innovation and technology, so as to bring forth our economy and next generation a better future. The motion was supported and passed in the LegCo.

There are four main suggestions I raised:

(1) proactively study the establishment of an Innovation and Technology Bureau, which is specifically tasked to co-ordinate and formulate Hong Kong's overall strategy of developing innovation and technology, so as to upgrade Hong Kong's international status in this respect;

(2) provide supporting policies including land and taxation concessions, etc., to attract more enterprises from the Mainland and overseas, especially large technological enterprises to Hong Kong for development or set up headquarters in Hong Kong, so as to create more employment opportunities;

(3) provide sufficient resources to local universities and technological research institutes, train more talents for developing innovation and technology, and promote turning end products of university technological research projects into commodities; and

(4) strive for social and public recognition of developing innovation and technology in Hong Kong, so as to create a culture and conducive environment of support for promoting innovation and technology.

In my speech, I mentioned that the need of China’s future economy development provides opportunities for Hong Kong. It is expected that China’s economy will shift gradually from developing industrial and export hub in the past to developing innovation and technology. Though there are some obstacles expected in this development, I believe Hong Kong will be able to offer support and may even become an independent international platform of China’s innovation and technology development. Therefore, I expect the Government to study the establishment of an Innovation and Technology Bureau as soon as possible to allow its implementation in the next term of the Government.  This will show Hong Kong’s commitment on promoting network economy and innovation and technology.

Motion wording of “Studying the Establishment of an Innovation and Technology Bureau”

http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr10-11/chinese/counmtg/motion/m_papers/cm0706cb3-941-c.pdf

My motion speech:

http://www.samsontam.hk/index.php/legco-speeches/motion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-znmT1A5Bw&feature=channel_video_title (video)

2.    政府現正就本地科技人才培訓展開全面檢討
The Government is conducting a comprehensive review on training of local IT talents

At the LegCo Commerce and Industry Panel meeting held in July, the Government submitted a progress report on the Research and Development Cash Rebate Scheme of year 2010-11. The report noted that since the launching of the Scheme in April last year till the end of this March, the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) has received a total of 240 cash rebate applications. There are 212 cases approved involving a total of $5.86 million in cash rebate. As human resource is one of the important elements in promoting technology development, I asked if the Government will provide funding or incentive measures for graduates and researchers in this respect. Miss Janet Wong, the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology responded that the Commission is conducting a comprehensive review on IT talents training in Hong Kong and their prospects. The review report will be submitted to the LegCo later.

3.    香港發展網絡經濟須與內地整合
The need to integrate with the Mainland in developing network economy in HK

At the ITB panel meeting held on 11 July, the Government briefed Members on progress of initiatives made in facilitating a digital economy under the Digital 21 Strategy. At the meeting, I pointed out that many large overseas internet companies agreed the need to integrate with the Mainland in developing the network economy in HK, and I asked the Government if there is any measure to support or help internet companies in HK to enter the Mainland market. Mr. Gregory So, the Secretary of Commerce and Economic Development, responded that some companies with certain categories are able to operate in the Mainland under the current CEPA. The Government will strive for a bigger room for development for the industry. In addition, the Panel also discussed about the Government’s proposal of deferring the target date for terminating analog television services for 3 years, i.e. from end 2012 to end 2015. I welcomed the suggestion and hope the Government will find out and analyze the ratio between existing traditional and digital TV home, and then study further how to increase penetration of digital TV in home use, so as to allow a smooth transition from analog to digital TV service.

4.    新設立的數據中心促進組已正式投入服務
New Data Centre Facilitation Unit in service officially

The SAR Government is actively promoting data centre development in HK these years and hopes to foster Hong Kong to become the prime location for data centres in Asia Pacific. The OGCIO not only conducted in last year a consultancy study on the economy benefit of data centre development in HK, but also set up a website of “data centre development in Hong Kong” on 25 July this year (datacenter.gov.hk), and a Data Centre Facilitation Unit to provide one-stop helpdesk service to assist operators interested in setting up data centres in Hong Kong. I expect the Government to conduct comprehensive study to explore various possibilities and options, such as industrial estates, extension land areas and caves, etc. in order to find more suitable lands for coping with future development of data centres in Hong Kong.

5.    成立資訊科技專業委員會  加強粵港澳資訊科技領域合作交流
To establish the Information Technology Professional Committee to enhance the ICT cooperation between Guangdong, HK and Macau

To enhance the ICT cooperation between Guangdong, HK and Macau, the Guangdong’s Association for Promotion of Cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau set up its Information Technology Professional Committee. On 15 July, I led a group of ICT industrial representatives to attend the Committee’s inauguration and visit an ICT Science Park in Nansha, Guangzhou. I am very pleased to be invited to be a member of its first Advisory Committee. The establishment of the Committee aims to strengthen communication in the areas of ICT such as software and telecommunications, to integrate ICT resources of the three places, to explore the mode of integration between ICT and finance, economy, industry and human resources. I believe it is very meaningful to promote ICT cooperation among the three places on this new communication and cooperation platform, and expect more enterprises of the Mainland to set up their R&D Centers in Hong Kong, and make use of Hong Kong as an international platform. As for our ICT industry, we should make full use of the Committee as a platform to actively explore business opportunities in the Mainland.

II. Articles Sharing (Chinese Only)

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4. 三頭六臂的新局長
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5. 成為天下第一村的秘密
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