Director's Message (June 2005)

Information Technologies for China

Ever since Mainland China opened its doors to the outside world, the country has been immersed in transforming itself into an important world economic player. Foreign direct investment has poured into the country while its exports to countries all over the world have grown at a spectacular rate. It now enjoys an impressive economic growth and this continued prosperity is considered vital in maintaining regional and global stability. But, to sustain this momentum of change in an increasingly competitive global market, the country has to position itself at the forefront of IT innovations and applications.

Continued improvement in IT has enhanced productivity through e-commerce, business process integration, and people-process integration. As a result, businesses find it imperative to adapt to a service-oriented community or risk being left behind. Under this environment, business process automation, integration, and supply chain management, through the use of e-business technologies, become critically important.

At the macro level, Mainland China's future economic growth depends on capitalizing on these technologies, if the country is to advance its IT hardware and infrastructure-based economy into a service and solution-based economy.

The E-Business Technology Institute (ETI) is honoured to play a part in two research projects that aim to develop technologies that would enhance the competitiveness of the Pearl River Delta region. These projects have been awarded funding by the government (see related story on front page). And, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff and the institute's partners, without whom ETI could not have won the awards.

Professor C.J. Tan, Director of ETI