About 200 representatives of local information and communications technology (ICT) industry attended a reception Monday evening to pledge their support to the hosting of the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) TELECOM WORLD 2006 in Hong Kong.

The reception was hosted by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau of Hong Kong government, John Tsang.

Speaking during the reception, Tsang said that the ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006 would help buttress Hong Kong's position as the ICT capital of the region and the premiere events capital of the world.

"I can promise you that it will be an event with a difference. First, it will take place at the doorstep of the most exciting developing market in the world.  There will no doubt be a massive turnout of notable mainland and international companies. We in Hong Kong will be playing our unique role as that principal gateway and platform for all concerned." he said.

"Second, to enable overseas and local companies to seize the opportunities of the Chinese mainland market, we will be organizing Business Facilitation Service before, during and after the event offering business matching service, seminars and visits to selected parts of the mainland." continued Tsang.

"Third, with the convergence of technology, the Olympics of Telecommunications will be broadened even further to encompass information technology, digital entertainment, service and content provision via the ICT platform to demonstrate the vibrancy of the expanded value chain. Both the exhibits and discussions at the Forum will reflect updated and anticipated trends and issues," he said.

Tsang pointed out that "companies in Hong Kong must not miss this unprecedented opportunity taking place right here in our home city to network with your mainland and overseas counterparts, and showcase your products and capability at the same time to the world in our brand new Asia World Expo at the airport."

He said, "Small and medium sized companies can get together to set up Hong Kong pavilions to galvanize their strength. Tertiary institutions can tap into the discussions at the Forum to deliberate on key social and technological issues in the modern digital world."

The ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006 will be staged at the 66,000 square meters of exhibition space offered by the AsiaWorld-Expo from Dec.4 - 8, 2006.

It is estimated that the event will attract some 100,000 overseas visitors, generating about 1.2 billion Hong Kong dollars (153.85 million US dollars) of direct economic benefits for Hong Kong.

The ITU TELECOM WORLD is the most prominent global ICT event held every three to four years. Hong Kong previously hosted two ITU regional events -- ITU TELECOM ASIA 2000 and ITU TELECOM ASIA 2002.

The event comprises two parts -- the Exhibition and the Forum. The exhibition enables industry players to showcase their latest equipment, services or technologies, while the Forum provides a platform for the participants to debate on critical issues in policies and regulation, key technologies, business applications and environment.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2005)