HONG Kong industries needed to enhance their competitiveness in the higher value-added links of the manufacturing chain, Financial Secretary Sir Hamish Macleod said yesterday at the topping out ceremony of the Hong Kong Industrial Technology Centre.
The ceremony was attended by Secretary for Trade and Industry Brian Chau Tak-hay, the centre's chairman Dr Raymond Ch'ien, director general of industry Denise Yue, the centre's chief executive Dr Vincent Liang, and the chairman of Wah Hin and Co Dr C.K. Chung.
To meet the challenge, Sir Hamish said Hong Kong industries had to employ new technologies and to harness the outcome of research and development for commercial purposes.
''However, the task of harnessing new technologies, whether in generating new products and services or in improving the processes by which existing products are made requires special skills.
''We also need insight into market needs,'' he said.
He said the Government had increased substantially the funding for research at tertiary institutions.