Commerce and Industry 143
Gross premium income grew by 4.4 per cent to $147.3 million. Cash claims payments. decreased by 21.1 per cent to $33.51 million.
During the year, the corporation continued to strengthen its support from the exporting community, especially SMEs. It worked closely with various trade associations and institutions in organising workshops and seminars to enhance exporters' understanding of credit management. Banks have generally accepted the insurance policy as useful collateral in granting export financing to exporters, especially SMEs.
In addition, the corporation devoted extra resources to help exporters capture the opportunities arising from CEPA and 'Pan-Pearl River Delta Regional Cooperation' to encourage Hong Kong's export trade.
On the international front, the corporation continued to maintain close cooperation with members of the International Union of Credit and Investment Insurers (Berne Union) through visits, meetings and workshops.
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation
The Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTPC) was established in 2001 to offer one-stop infrastructural support services to technology- based companies and activities in a synergistic manner. It is a statutory body formed by merging the former Hong Kong Industrial Estates Corporation, the Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre Corporation and the Provisional Hong Kong Science Park Company Ltd. It offers a comprehensive range of services to meet the needs of industry at various stages. These services range from nurturing technology start-ups through the incubation programme and providing premises and services in the Science Park for applied research and development activities to the provision of land and premises in the industrial estates for production purposes.
The Science Park, being developed by the HKSTPC at Pak Shek Kok, will provide a total area of 22 hectares. Built under the concept of clustering, it will provide an effective working environment and support services to facilitate collaboration and synergy among its tenants and ultimately enhance Hong Kong's long-term economic success. The four clusters are electronics, information technology and telecommunications, biotechnology, and precision engineering. Phase 1 of the Science Park was officially opened in June 2002 and completed in October 2004. Construction of Phase 2 is underway.
The HKSTPC operates three industrial estates with 217 hectares of land in total. Developed land is provided at cost to companies with new or improved technology and processes that cannot operate in multi-storey buildings. The industrial estates have helped broaden the industry base and upgrade the technology level of Hong Kong. The industrial estates in Tai Po and Yuen Long are practically full, while the one in Tseung Kwan O is half-full.
Through its business incubation programme, the HKSTPC nurtures technology- based start-up companies by providing low-cost accommodation as well as
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