FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1981
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INFLUENTIAL TO HK'S TRANSFORMATION
THE RAPID ABSORPTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAS HELPED TRANSFORM HONG KONG FROM AN ENTREPOT TO A MAJOR CENTRE OF INDUSTRY, COMMERCE AND FINANCE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR T.H. CHAU, SAID THIS (FRIDAY) MORNING.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF CENIT ASIA '91 AT THE HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE, MR CHAU SAID INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) HAD BEEN ESPECIALLY INFLUENTIAL IN BRINGING ABOUT THIS TRANSFORMATION.
NOTING THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS COMPLETELY OUTWARD-LOOKING, HE SAID SOPHISTICATED COMMUNICATIONS LINKS WITH THE TERRITORY'S TRADING AND INVESTMENT PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD WERE A MUST.
"THE TERRITORY NOW HAS ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED
TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS IN THE REGION, HE SAID.
MR CHAU SAID HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS ALSO HEAVILY TOWARDS SERVICES WHICH NOW ACCOUNTED FOR AROUND 70 PER CENT KONG'S GDP.
OF IT.
SLANTED
of Hond
"MANY SERVICE BUSINESSES ARE HEAVY USERS OF INFORMATION AND
-
'HONG KONG COULD NOT HAVE ACHIEVED ITS STATUS As
As A WORLD FINANCIAL CENTRE IF THE COMPANIES INVOLVED WERE NOT TECHNOLOGICALLY COMPETITIVE," HE SAID.
MR CHAU SAID HONG KONG'S MANUFACTURING TRADITIONALLY BEEN TECHNOLOGY INTENSIVE.
INDUSTRIES HAD Not
"THAT IS NOW CHANGING. AND MANY OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES WHICH INDUSTRY IS ADOPTING ARE INFORMATION-RELATED, HE SAID.
"
MR CHAU SAID IN HONG KONG AS ELSEWHERE, COMPANIES ADOPTED It FOR REASONS OF SOUND COMMERCIAL LOGIC.
"THEY ARE LOOKING TO IT то HELP SOLVE SPECIFIC BUSINESS
PROBLEMS.
"TO OBTAIN THE BEST RETURN ON THEIR IT INVESTMENTS, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE INFORMED CHOICES FROM THE RANGE OF SOLUTIONS ON OFFER FROM SUPPLIERS A RANGE THAT IS EXPANDING ALL THE TIME AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO DEVELOP APACE, HE SAID.
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