South China Morning Post Tuesday March 9
Gates pledges Microsoft role in Cyberport (Hong Kong)
Updated at 7.33pm:
Microsoft guru Bill Gates on Tuesday
pledged his company's support to Hong
Kong's $13 billion Cyberport project.
The news came as the software giant
announced a much predicted multi-media deal
with Hongkong Telecom.
And it provides a major boost to the SAR's
hi-tech aspirations, made public in last week's
Budget speech by Financial Secretary Donald
Tsang Yam-kuen.
''The Cyberport is important because it is a
signal that there is a great opportunity for
entrepreneurial businesses,'' Mr Gates told a
news conference.
''It is important for Hong Kong to participate
in that.''
The Cyberport is envisioned as an
international multi-media and information
services centre which would attract new
buildings equipped for high-speed, broadband
services.
Mr Gates, who met with Hong Kong Chief
Executive Tung Chee-hwa earlier in the day,
said Microsoft was willing to provide
engineers and architects to aid the proposed
Cyberport.
"We will participate in the Cyberport, making
sure we put engineers and architects there so
that all the companies have immediate access
to any information of any Microsoft tools and
things they want to get done," Mr Gates said.
Microsoft would also work with local
universities to make sure they had the
technology to provide quality
computer-related courses.
''It is important that the politicians are really
thinking about the sector. Three years ago
they did not think about it,'' he said.
''I am really encouraged by what we are
seeing here now and I think in the next few
years there will be a lot of growth,'' he said.
(Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese sovereignty with a high degree of local autonomy with a capitalist system on July 1, 1997 under the One Country, Two Systems principle.)
Henry