Hong Kong Rises to Seventh in World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2024, Excelling in Technology and Knowledge.

Hong Kong rose to rank seventh globally in digital competitiveness

In the latest World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR) 2024 published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), Hong Kong's ranking improved by three places toseventh globally.

Among the three factors in WDCR 2024, Hong Kong continued to perform well in "Technology" and "Knowledge", ranking third and fifth respectively. Our ranking in "Future readiness" also improved.

A Government spokesman said today (November 14), "The IMD's WDCR 2024 recognised that Hong Kong remains one of the most digitally competitive economies in the world. The National 14th Five-Year Plan indicates clear support for Hong Kong's development into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre. I&T is a core element in cultivating new quality productive forces and also a key impetus for Hong Kong's high-quality economic development. As home to five of the world’s top 100 universities (three of the top 10 in Asia), Hong Kong possesses world-class research and development (R&D) capabilities and I&T infrastructure, as well as a diverse talent pool. A thriving start-up ecosystem, a free, open and fair business environment, a simple tax system with low tax rates, together with strong policy support also position Hong Kong favourably to attract strategic enterprises and top talent from around the world. The abundant networks and opportunities available in Hong Kong, as well as the synergies with sister cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, further enhance our appeal as a leading destination for I&T."

The spokesman added, "The Chief Executive announced in the 2024 Policy Address a series of measures aimed at building a more comprehensive I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong. These initiatives include, for example, establishing the third InnoHK research cluster, drawing up a medium- to long-term plan for the development of new industrialisation, setting up a HK$10 billion I&T Industry-Oriented Fund to channel more market capital to invest in specified emerging and future industries of strategic importance, optimising the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund, and launching the Pilot I&T Accelerator Scheme to attract professional start-up service providers with proven track records to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong. The Government will continue to enhance the I&T infrastructure, including the first-phase facility of Cyberport's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Supercomputing Centre which will commence operation shortly, and the $3 billion AI Subsidy Scheme now open for applications. Going forward, the HKSAR Government will continue to collaborate with various sectors of the society to further enhance Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem, thereby upholding our competitive edge in the global market and injecting new impetus to economic development."

Meeting attendance of members of District Councils in 2024

The Home Affairs Department (HAD) made the following clarifications today (January 2) regarding certain media reports on the meeting attendance of the current-term members of the District Councils (DCs) in 2024:

(1) The current-term DC members were diligent in their work, with over 98 per cent of 470 members having attended all DC meetings or were only absent with the DC's consent; over 90 per cent having attended all committee/working group meetings or were only absent with the DC's consent. Aside from attending DC meetings, each DC member on average attended 28 committee/working group meetings;

(2) all DC members fulfilled the requirement under the Performance Monitoring Guidelines for Members of the DCs (the Guidelines), i.e. attendance rate of not lower than 80 per cent and no DC members were in violation of the requirement; certain reports were incorrect in stating that some DC members were in violation of the Guidelines due to their absence at meetings since absence at an individual meeting was not a violation in itself; and

(3) for the purpose of calculating attendance, the Guidelines stipulate certain reasons for absence that would be consented by the DCs, including sickness and attendance at another meeting or an activity on behalf of the DCs etc. If a DC member were absent from meetings due to the aforementioned reasons with the DC's consent, the absence would not affect his/her attendance rate. If a DC member were absent from meetings due to other reasons (i.e. personal matters), the absence would be counted towards his/her attendance rate.

​The HAD hoped that media outlets and members of the public would have an accurate understanding of DC members' attendance situation at meetings. The current-term DC members' attendance rate at meetings was the highest amongst all previous terms, which fully demonstrated DC members' efforts and work in improving governance at the district level.