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COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Science Park comprises eight hectares of land and is scheduled to open by the end of 2001.

Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation

The primary mission of the Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation is to nurture technology start-ups through its Technology-based Business Incubation Programme. Its Technology Transfer Programme also helps foster technology culture and business match-making.

Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation

The Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation (HKIEC) develops and manages industrial estates in Hong Kong. Land in the estates is offered at cost to both. manufacturing and service industries with new or improved technology and processes that cannot operate in multi-storey buildings. The existing industrial estates at Tai Po, Yuen Long and Tseung Kwan O provide 214 hectares of land, in total.

With the industrial estates at Tai Po and Yuen Long almost full and the one at Tseung Kwan O nearly half full, the Government is considering the site selection and related issues for a fourth industrial estate.

Merger of Infrastructure Support Agencies

The Government is in the process of merging the Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation, the Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation and the Provisional Hong Kong Science Park Company Limited, with a view to streamlining the service delivery structure and maximising synergy. The bill establishing the merged body was introduced into the Legislative Council in December.

Hong Kong Productivity Council

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) promotes productivity excellence through its diverse range of consultancy services to enhance the value-added content of products and services.

In 2000, the HKPC continued to promote productivity excellence with a focus on information and media productivity, product and process innovation, and business and service leadership. The Institute of Information and Media Industries provided streamlined and integrated

and integrated information technology services, in particular e-commerce. The Product Development and Innovation Institute promoted Hong Kong's capability in innovation and invention, covering also intellectual property rights services. The Best Management Practices Institute helped local businesses make use of the latest management tools to improve their competitiveness in the world market. Specific initiatives were taken by the HKPC to promote information technology application among SMEs, the Mainland operations of Hong Kong companies and new enterprises to help them face the challenges of the digital economy.

Human Resources, Technical Education and Industrial Training

Success in the knowledge-based economy of the 21st century depends heavily upon the availability of talented persons and skilled manpower at all levels.

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