One of the world's most powerful computer companies has told the Government to improve education if it wants Hong Kong to become an information technology hub.
US giant Intel issued the warning after a company survey revealed Hong Kong was trailing its regional competitors when it came to the World Wide Web.
The critical assessment could not have come at a more embarrassing time for the Government after it recently unveiled its information technology strategy.
Despite the SAR's reputation for money-making, the survey reveals that Hong Kong people are less entrepreneurial than their Asian neighbours on the Web. They are also less likely to rely on the Internet for day-to-day living than most of their counterparts across the region.
Mark Armstrong, Intel's marketing programme manager in Hong Kong, said education was the key to survival. 'Hong Kong is lagging in the educational sector. That comes down to money, funding, teacher-training and how much the Government is focusing on education. It is about government policy. I think South Korea is much stronger. Its market is as hot as the US. Singapore is pretty much along the line but Hong Kong is lagging,' he said.
Intel's intervention follows Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's announcement that the SAR would open up to information technology experts from the mainland, and mounting criticism from experts about the Government's funding of education in the SAR.
