The Hong Kong government would continue to spear head innovation and technology as a main driving force to develop Hong Kong into a knowledge-based economy, the government gazette quoted Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa as saying Thursday.
Tung made the remark after meeting with a number of political and business leaders in San Francisco of the US on Wednesday.
Tung was making a stopover in San Francisco before flying to Mexico to attend the 2002 Economic Leaders Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in Mexico from October 24 to October 27.
During his stay, Tung saw a demonstration on web-based meeting services and on-line training services by the San Jose-based Web Excommunications, Incorporated (WebEx).
Also attending the demonstration was President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Paul Chu Ching-wu, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding with WebEx for setting up an information technology institute at HKUST to conduct research and development of multimedia technologies, such as wireless applications and on-line product design.
WebEx will participate in research programs at HKUST and help commercialize research and development results from the institute.
"This kind of project will help raise the profile of Hong Kong as an innovation hub in the region. The government will continue to spearhead innovation and technology as a main driving force to develop Hong Kong into a knowledge-based economy," the chief executive said.
(Xinhua News Agency October 25, 2002)
