Industry and Technology Committee

1. Update on Information Services for SME: Karen Yip, General Manager of HK Telecom and Dr S W Cheung, Chief Executive of HK Plastics Technology Centre gave a presentation on future information services to be introduced to the market.

2. Progress Update:

1. Two position papers were submitted to the Commission on Innovation and Technology. Submission entitled "Industry and Technology - A Constructive Role for the Chamber" was made on March 15 and another one entitled "Realising the Vision" on May 20.

2. A submission to the Legislative Council on Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Bill 1999 and Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation was made on April 19. With the exception of construction sites, there was no urgent need to introduce the Regulation to industrial undertakings and factories.

3. Roundtable luncheon with Mr Edward Leung, Chief Economist of the HKTDC - April 29.

4. Roundtable luncheon with Mr Alexander Arena, CEO of Pacific Convergence Corporation (PCC) on the Cyber-Port - May 5.

5. On 7 May, the Committee conducted a half-day tour of Varitronix Ltd at the Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

3. Welcome New Members: Paul Chau of Scan Coin, Jimmy Fung of Hydro Water Power Engineering, Gregg Li of PKKI, University of Hong Kong, David of SunApollo Industries, Henry Tam of Infocan Computer (HK), Henry Liu of Novell HK and James Wong of Truly Electronics Manufacturing were welcomed to the Committee.

4. Election of Chairman & Vice-Chairman for the Committee: The Secretariat had not received any new nominations from ITC members. Dr Lily Chiang and Christopher Cheng were invited to continue respectively as Chairman and Vice-Chairman for another term. The proposal was seconded by Mr Manohar Chugh and supported unanimously by members.

5. "REALISING THE VISION" - SUBMISSION FORWARDED TO THE COMMISSION ON INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

6. Chamber project on "China's Entry into the WTO & the Impact on Hong Kong's Businesses": This was a major project undertaken by the Chamber and the HKCSI, with the aim of providing the businessman's view of the impact of China's entry into the WTO on Hong Kong. Dr Lily Chiang will chair the "High Technology Working Group" under this project. Members of the Committee were encouraged to join the Working Group and contribute to a report on the group's findings. A discussion meeting was to be held immediately after the ITC meeting that day.

7. Future Activities and Events: Mr William Lam of Galore Group had been invited to speak on industrial automation on July 29. HSBC Private Equity Management had agreed to brief members in September on the government Applied Research Fund.