HKPC and the U.S. Department of Commerce Pledge to Strengthen Smart Technology Collaboration

(Hong Kong, 2 October 2018) The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the International Trade Administration of United States (U.S.) Department of Commerce signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to strengthen smart technology collaboration, facilitating cross-border partnerships and companies' transformation into Industry 4.0 in the digital era of smart city development.

The two parties signed the SOI at Washington, D.C. in the U.S. on 25 September 2018 witnessed by Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government, and Ms Karen Dunn Kelley, Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce of the U.S., marking a new milestone of the Hong Kong-U.S. commercial collaboration while symbolising enhanced commitment of the two parties in promoting "Smart" applications to foster the developments in the industry sector.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr Mohamed D. Butt, Executive Director of HKPC, said, "We thank the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau of the HKSAR Government and the U.S. Department of Commerce to make this win-win collaboration happen. It facilitates HKPC's mission to explore resources optimisation opportunities to assist not only the local enterprises but also the U.S. companies in Hong Kong in enhancing and maintaining their competitive edge, cost efficiency and assisting their businesses to transform into Industry 4.0 or Industrial Internet."

The SOI brings along the U.S. support to facilitate Hong Kong industries' transformation towards digital manufacturing. In return, the U.S. companies can also benefit from Hong Kong companies' creative technologies, inventions and massive networking in Asia. As the first activity under the SOI, the Smart City Symposium will take place in early 2019 to discuss best practices and case studies in Smart City applications, in Hong Kong and the U.S. for Smart Living.

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Mr Mohamed D. Butt, Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council (front row, right), and Mr Ian Steff, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing, International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce (front row, left), sign the Statement of Intent on Smart Technology Collaboration witnessed by Mr Edward Yau, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of the HKSAR Government (back row, right), and Ms Karen Dunn Kelley, Acting Deputy Secretary of Commerce of the U.S.