Hongkong Post has pinned its hopes on a card that does everything but talk
A digital certificate that carries the same legal status as a handwritten signature will be embedded in the new smart ID card to encourage people to use the Internet for shopping and paying bills.
Hongkong Post, the official certification authority, will offer one year's free trial to people using its 'e-Cert'' services. The digital certificate will be stored in the new smart ID cards when the government starts to replace all existing 6.8 million conventional identity cards from the middle of the year.
People need to inform immigration officers to incorporate the digital certificate when they apply for the new ID card.
Hongkong Post estimated that about four million people would choose to have 'the e-Cert' incorporated in their smart ID cards.
With the e-Cert, people can securely conduct bank transactions, pay taxes, place bets or make payments over the Internet, according to a spokeswoman for the project.
