HK$8.2b smart production hub for Hong Kong’s Tseung Kwan O to capitalise on ‘new economic order’

InnovationministerNicholasYangwithChiefExecutiveLeungChun-ying.Yangistargetingahi-techindustrialzoneinTseungKwanO.Photo:DavidWong

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST) AHK$8.2billionsmartproductionhubisbeingplannedinTseungKwanOunderapackageofinitiativesaimedatallowingHongKongtocapitaliseonthe“neweconomicorder”,accordingtotheITminister.

SecretaryforInnovationandTechnologyProfessorNicholasYangWei-hsiungsaidhehopedtorecreateHongKongasasmartcity,butmerelycopyingthedevelopmentmodelofSiliconValleywouldnotsuittheSAR.

YangandITofficialswereelaboratingyesterdayonnewinitiativesannouncedbyFinancialSecretaryJohnTsangChun-wahinWednesday’sbudget.

YanghighlightedtheHK$8.2billionprojecttobuildacomplexintheexistingTseungKwanOindustrialestatetopromotesmartproductionandresearch.

Thegovernmentwouldalsosubsidisesmallandmedium-sizedenterprises(SMEs)underaHK$500millionpilotschemetoencouragethemtoapplymoreITsolutionstoupgradetheirservicesandproductivity,Yangsaid.

Thethree-yearprogrammewouldprovide,onamatchingbasis,amaximumHK$200,000subsidyforeacheligibleSME.

Tsanghighlightedtheemergenceofa“neweconomicorder”becauseofbreakthroughsininformationtechnologyandtheneedforHongKongtocatchup.

TheTseungKwanOprojectwillcomprisetwomulti-storeyfactorybuildings,withatotalfloorareaof1.5millionsquarefeet,designedforhousingmanufacturersthatuseroboticsandITfacilities.Constructionisexpectedtobecompletedin2020.

“WedonotaimtobuildanotherSiliconValley,”Yangsaid.“EvenifwerelocatethewholeSiliconValleyhere,itmaynotbeasuccess.

“HongKongisaveryuniqueplacethatisknownforitsabilitytoadaptandrecreateitselfquicklyevenafterabigblow.Afterthe1967riot,HongKongwasquicklyrebornasoneofAsia’sFourLittleDragonsin10years.

“Inthe1980swhenourmanufacturingfactorieshadmovedtothePearlRiverDelta,wetransformedourselvesintoafinancialservicehub.Now,thereisanotheropportunityinfrontofus.”

ButwhenaskedifthegovernmentwouldrelaxlawstoaccommodatenewservicesthatemployIT,Yang,referringtoride-hailingserviceUber,stressed:“Thegovernmentistechnologyneutral...Wearenotgoingtochangethelawbecauseofoneservice.”