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Secretary for Innovation & Technology Nicholas Yang
It is indeed my great pleasure to join all of you at the opening of the Hong Kong International Computer Conference 2015, to be among many old and new friends of the information and communications technology, or ICT, industry.
We are here today with one common goal: to take ICT innovation and technology development to the next level in an increasingly Internet-driven global economy. In its 38th year, the HKICC has again brought together strategists, industry leaders, innovators, trend-setters and business players from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, to share vision and insights on the latest ICT technology advancements. This year's innovative theme is hashtag "digital economy", powered by innovation.
The Internet has certainly transformed our world over the past two decades. We all live in a digital economy today, seeing many products, services and business processes undergo incredible transformation. According to the Boston Consulting Group, the digital economy is expected to contribute more than US$4 trillion to the gross domestic product of G20 nations in 2016.
The digital economy permeates the world in the form of e-commerce, e-learning, smart devices, social media platforms and so on. Today's Internet-driven global economy is powered by innovation and technology. Innovation and technology can bring economic growth and employment opportunities, and can also improve people's quality of living and help on social development.
Hong Kong certainly stands out in today's global digital economy. We have been ranked first in technological infrastructure globally by the World Competitiveness Yearbook for five consecutive years. In terms of innovation, Hong Kong ranks second in Asia-Pacific and 11th in the world in the Global Innovation Index 2015.
Innovation hub
As an ICT hub, Hong Kong has high broadband and mobile penetration rates that top the world. Our intellectual property rights are protected by the Copyright Ordinance. Our Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance ensures the protection of personal data during collection, usage and transfer. The Electronic Transactions Ordinance provides a robust framework for conducting secure e-business. All in all, Hong Kong is a great place for innovation in today's digital economy.
We all know the establishment of the Innovation & Technology Bureau last Friday will pave the way for Hong Kong's transformation to a knowledge-based economy. The bureau will provide stronger and more focused policy co-ordination together with the understanding and support of Hong Kong people to capture the opportunities from our digital economy, leveraging on the rapidly evolving innovation and technology environment.
I would like to congratulate the Hong Kong Computer Society for staging another flagship international conference. I am sure the two-day conference will facilitate in-depth sharing on the latest developments of our digital economy, and inspire us with further insights on using innovation and technology to drive sustainable economic growth. I wish all of you an enjoyable and fruitful sharing at the HKICC 2015.
Secretary for Innovation & Technology Nicholas Yang gave these remarks at the Hong Kong International Computer Conference (HKICC) 2015.
