Majority of Hong Kong residents do not perceive it as a smart city according to new Google report
- Hong Kong’s leaders have been pushing digital initiatives in an effort to better compete with regional rivals such as Singapore and Japan
A majority of Hong Kong residents do not see Hong Kong as a smart city and many companies do not consider the city as having a strong tech talent pool, according to the findings of a newly-published Google report.
Google Hong Kong released the third edition of its Smarter Digital City (SDC) white paper on Monday, which covers the progress of digital development in the city across key business verticals – including travel, retail, finance and living – as well as offering recommendations.
In spite of improvements in digital adoption in Hong Kong, the report finds that only 12 per cent of companies believe Hong Kong is strong in tech talent development. Meanwhile, less than one-third of residents see Hong Kong as a smart city – a percentage that has not improved since last year. The report’s important smart city factors include a fast and reliable internet, cashless society features, and strong research and development.
The report surveyed 1,000 Hong Kong residents and 299 business leaders in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, from big companies, small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups.
“If any of you asked friends, family, parents, what do they want their kids to be when they grow up? What's the answer in Hong Kong? Doctor, lawyer, finance person. Those are the top three in terms of where the smart kids are encouraged to go,” Leonie Valentine, the managing director of sales and operations at Google Hong Kong, said during the media briefing.
