XN000022-1991-12-05 — Page 14

13

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1991

HK READY TO GRASP OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGH-TECH INDUSTRIES

HONG KONG IS WELL PLACED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES IN TECHNOLOGY-BASED INDUSTRIES, THE ACTING DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF INDUSTRY, MR WILFRED WONG, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

INSTITUTION OF

SPEAKING AT A FORUM ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG ENGINEERS, MR WONG SAID HONG KONG HAD A FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION TOGETHER WITH A WELL EDUCATED AND SKILLED WORKFORCE AND AN EFFICIENT INFRASTRUCTURE.

HE SAID HONG KONG WAS FAMILIAR WITH AND HAD READY ACCESS TO ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY FROM OVERSEAS.

"I WOULD ADD THAT THE RECENT DECISION BY THE US GOVERNMENT то AWARD INTRA-COCOM TRADE LICENSING BENEFITS TO HONG KONG IS A VERY POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT.

то HONG

"THE U.S. IS THE LARGEST SUPPLIER OF HIGH-TECH GOODS KONG. THE LIBERALISATION OF LICENSING PROCEDURES WILL ALLOW A FASTER AND EASIER FLOW OF THESE GOODS FROM THE U.S. TO HONG KONG," HE SAID.

ON GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY, MR WONG SAID AS FROM JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR, A NEW INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WOULD BE SET UP TO REPLACE THE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

"WITH ITS EXPANDED TERMS OF REFERENCE AND A MORE FOCUSSED APPROACH, THIS NEW COUNCIL WILL BE BETTER PLACED TO ADVISE GOVERNMENT ON HOW HONG KONG 5 INDUSTRY SHOULD RESPOND TO TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE WORLD SO AS TO MAINTAIN ITS COMPETITIVE EDGE, HE SAID.

--

MR WONG SAID THE NEW COUNCIL WOULD ALSO HELP GOVERNMENT ADMINISTER AN APPLIED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) SCHEME.

"UNDER THE SCHEME, FINANCIAL SUPPORT WILL COMPANIES ON A MATCHING BASIS FOR APPLIED R&D WORK,

H

BE PROVIDED TO HE SAID.

WAS

MR WONG ADDED THAT IN RESPONSE ΤΟ THE GROWING DEMAND FOR TRAINED MANPOWER AND RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES, GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHING A NEW TECHNOLOGY TRAINING SCHEME.

TO

ΤΟ

"UNDER THIS SCHEME, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WILL BE PROVIDED EMPLOYERS TO ENABLE THEIR MID-CAREER MANAGERS AND TECHNOLOGISTS UNDERTAKE TRAINING IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES CONSIDERED OF IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS SEEKING ΤΟ IMPROVE THE R&D CAPABILITIES OF TERTIARY ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, NOT ONLY AS A WAY OF ATTRACTING AND RETAINING HIGH CALIBRE STAFF, BUT ALSO FOR DEVELOPING A STRONG CADRE OF RESEARCHERS AND TECHNOLOGISTS WHO COULD EVENTUALLY UNDERTAKE APPLIED R&D COMMISSIONED BY COMPANIES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

/"ACCORDINGLY, GOVERNMENT