TRADE AND INDUSTRY
In the interests of compatibility, the government agreed that the United Nations Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport, a standard language developed by the United Nations for electronic trading, will be adopted for government transactions wherever applicable.
The Industry Department
The mission of the Industry Department is to facilitate the further development of manu- facturing and manufacturing-support industries in Hong Kong within the framework of a free market. To achieve this, the department works with its partners in government, business, tertiary institutions and industrial support organisations to provide the necessary land, physical infrastructure and trained human resources; to facilitate access to relevant technologies; to encourage applied research and development; and to monitor developments in markets and technologies which may impinge upon the competitiveness of the local manufacturing sector.
Land
The Industry Department works with the Lands Department and the Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation (HKIEC) to ensure an adequate supply of land. During the year, the government put up for sale by auction or tender five pieces of industrial land with a total area of 25 667 square metres. About 266 000 square metres of flatted factory space were completed by private developers. In September, the HKIEC opened the first phase of its third industrial estate, comprising 28 hectares.
Education and Training
The department is represented on the Vocational Training Council, which provides technical education and industrial training in two technical colleges, seven technical institutes and 24 industrial training centres. On behalf of the department, the council runs a New Technology Training Scheme, which provides financial assistance to employers to train, either locally or overseas, their technologists and managers in new technologies which are important for the industrial and economic development of Hong Kong. The department is also represented on the Clothing Industry Training Authority, which runs two training centres. Technological training at higher levels is mainly provided by the tertiary education institutions. In 1994, the department also organised an internship programme to prepare tertiary students to join the biotechnology industry.
Technology
The Hong Kong Productivity Council, which is substantially funded by the government, is the main agent for technology transfer in both product and process technologies, as well as many soft technologies such as quality management and flow control. The department is represented on the council, as well as on the government-owned Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation. The latter was set up in 1993 to promote technological innovation and the application of new technologies in local industries by providing space and services to technology-based companies. The centre runs an 'incubation programme' for start-up companies, and also facilitates the transfer of technology by organising technology seminars, serving as a third party in brokering and licensing technologies.
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