The steady integration of the Hong Kong and mainland economies is expected to have parallel developments on the internet, with a new campaign to add to the number of Chinese-language domain names ending in '.hk'.
'With the .hk Chinese domain name, mainland companies and individuals can more easily search for Hong Kong companies via the internet,' said Jonathan Shea Tat-on, chief executive at the not-for-profit Hong Kong Internet Registration Corp.
The outfit's new Chinese domain name set-up, which was formally launched this month, was designed to enhance Hong Kong's position as an international e-commerce centre, Mr Shea said.
Mr Shea is also chief executive at subsidiary Hong Kong Domain Name Registration Company (HKDNR), which provides registration services for both English and Chinese .hk domain names.
'An easy-to-remember Chinese domain name can raise a company's brand awareness and its website traffic which can help Hong Kong enterprises tap into the Greater China market,' he said.
The domain set-up is also compatible with both traditional and simplified Chinese characters.
In recent years, various countries and distinct economies have rolled out domain names in their local or preferred languages, enabling domain names to be expressed in a way that the internet community can easily understand and remember.