Event highlights SAR's growing role as communications centre

The 2nd Hong Kong Information Infrastructure Expo and Conference signals the importance of information and IT to Hong Kong and aims to highlight the SAR's growing capabilities as the Asia-Pacific's communications hub.

Launched last year as a one-stop forum and marketplace to air ideas, the expo and conference introduce new technologies and provide networking opportunities.

This event comes at a time of burgeoning growth and change in IT and telecommunications, both on the design and application side and in the regulatory aspects of the industry.

For instance, this past year has seen tremendous liberalisation in the telecom sector in Hong Kong.

IT plays a crucial role in Hong Kong's economy and in maintaining the SAR's competitive advantage. IT is an important factor in enabling Hong Kong companies to 'add value' in manufacturing by being faster and more flexible with orders.

It is perhaps the key ingredient in the smooth operation of Hong Kong's worldwide network of dispersed manufacturing facilities and provides the architecture that allows our free-flowing information to reach business the world over.

Despite all the progress, the best is yet to come for the communications and IT industry. It will be imperative for business to not only un derstand the changes and innovations that are coming but to feel comfortable using them.