Rocky (Dr Rocky Cheng, President of Hong Kong Computer Society), Mr Fulvio Inserra (Mr Fulvio Inserra, Chairman of APICTA), distinguished APICTA Executive Committee members, friends from the media, ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon and welcome to the Media Briefing of Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) Awards 2023! First and foremost, on behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I would like to extend our warmest welcome to Fulvio, Chairman of APICTA and all the distinguished APICTA Executive Committee members, welcome to Hong Kong, and we are more than ready, and can’t wait to tell you all about Hong Kong especially on our exciting initiatives to boost I&T development.

Hong Kong is back on the international stage and the timing cannot be better for us to be the host economy for APICTA this year. APICTA, which is known as the Oscars of the tech industry is a renowned annual event that converges not only businesses, public sector, not-for-profit organisations, startups, entrepreneurs and students in one single platform, but also the brightest minds in the ICT field from across the Asia Pacific economies, fostering innovation, collaboration, and recognition in the ever-evolving world of technology. Hong Kong is hosting this flagship regional ICT event for a third time since we last did in 2004 and 2013. Hong Kong’s role in APICTA 2023 is two-folded. We are committed to make this event a successful edition and carry on its overall impact to the ICT industry of the region and leave a lasting legacy, and secondly, Hong Kong, with our unique edges, will tell good stories about the incredible talent and achievements of our local ICT community and endeavours, and showcase to the world our determination to develop Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, which is a direction and ambition set by our motherland, Mainland China.

APICTA 2023 is also an impeccable occasion to unveil Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a base for tech companies, startups and talent. Being the innovation powerhouse of Asia, the ideal gateway to Mainland China and the most international city in the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong’s world-class infrastructure, business-friendly environment and vibrant I&T ecosystem make it a perfect destination for tech companies to expand their presence and develop new businesses. Early this year, our Government established the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES) and set up dedicated teams in Mainland China and overseas offices to attract high-potential and representative strategic enterprises from around the globe to realise their plans in Hong Kong, particularly those from industries of strategic importance to Hong Kong, such as life and health technology, artificial intelligence, data science, fintech, etc. We have already met with more than 200 companies so far, and over 25 companies have set up or expanded their operations in Hong Kong, or are planning to do so, including leading technology company Huawei as well as e-commerce giants Meituan and JD. Moreover, as an attractive destination for venture capitalists, Hong Kong is currently home to more than 10 unicorns and nearly 4 000 startups. Our two leading technology start‑up incubators, the Cyberport and Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, have long been implementing incubation programmes, providing all-rounded assistance to startups, ranging from accommodation, promotion, professional services, mentorship to funding opportunities. We have also introduced various talent admission schemes such as Top Talent Pass Scheme, Quality Migrant Admission Scheme, Technology Talent Admission Scheme, Research Talent Hub, Global STEM Professorship Scheme, etc. to attract top talents from all over the world to explore opportunities in Hong Kong. On the infrastructure side, we are forging ahead with the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park and San Tin Technopole in the Northern Metropolis to provide space for the I&T industry and push forward the economy towards high-quality development. We have also sought to brace the development and adoption of Web 3.0 and working towards providing a facilitating environment for promoting sustainable and responsible development of the virtual assets sector in Hong Kong. To further strengthen Hong Kong’s I&T planning strategy, we have promulgated the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint last year. With the staunch support from our motherland, Hong Kong is well-positioned to pursue our goal of becoming a leading international I&T centre.

I could go on and on about our exciting I&T development, but I would like to stop here, and take this opportunity to thank our APICTA 2023 organiser, the Hong Kong Computer Society, the co-organiser, Cyberport, for jointly hosting this meaningful event. I also thank the Executive Committee of APICTA for your trust and support for Hong Kong to host this year’s Awards. Together, let’s create a buzz around this flagship I&T event and inspire the world with the transformative power of I&T. Finally, I wish to see you all again in Hong Kong later in December to celebrate the remarkable achievements of all our APICTA 2023 participants and winners! Once again, thank you all for joining us today.

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