The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should remain vigilant against cyber threats as digital technologies become more widespread, and strengthen its defense capability through collaboration and drills, officials said at a forum on Friday.
The forum was also informed that Hong Kong will hold its first real-life cybersecurity drill in November, aiming to improve the protection and emergency response skills of the special administrative region government and organizations.
The 2024 China Cybersecurity Week kicked off on Sunday, with its main venue being Nansha in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. For the first time, the national event hosted a forum in Hong Kong, in order to highlight cybersecurity collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
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The one-day event, themed “Together, We Create a Safe Cyberworld”, attracted more than 200 public and private organizations and over 400 industry leaders.
Addressing the forum, Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry of the Hong Kong SAR, emphasized that the city is proactively developing a digital economy and smart city, and the progress has raised the community’s demand for cybersecurity to a higher level.
He noted that cybersecurity is a common responsibility of society and a prerequisite for Hong Kong to build itself into an innovation and technology hub, a role entrusted by the nation’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).
Therefore, everyone in Hong Kong should keep raising the awareness of cybersecurity and jointly establish a citywide defense line to protect information and data from cyber attacks.
Hong Kong’s inaugural cybersecurity attack and defense drill, to be held in November, will bring together government departments and public organizations to enhance their capabilities of cyber security and emergency response, as well as identifying flaws, Sun said.
Sun urged every sector of the city to join hands to address cyber security challenges, accelerate the development of Hong Kong as an international center of innovation and technology, and fully support the high-quality development of the country.
In a separate speech, Yin Zonghua, deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, said cybersecurity is an important component of national security.
He underlined the significance of strengthening the protection of important information systems as well as sensitive data including personal privacy, suggesting the SAR should draw on the Chinese mainland’s experience in defending against cyber attacks and organizing relevant drills.
The Liaison Office will give comprehensive support for enhancing cybersecurity in Hong Kong, added Yin.
Wang Lihong, a senior official from the Cyberspace Administration of China, the nation’s top internet regulator, encouraged the SAR to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the mainland, such as promoting mutual recognition of cybersecurity standards.
Also, the SAR government should utilize its education strength and support universities and professional colleges to strengthen cybersecurity education and training, Wang suggested.
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Another speaker, Simon Chan Sai-ming, chairman of Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited, said he was confident that the forum can serve as a bridge between the mainland and Hong Kong in terms of cybersecurity collaboration.
Chan said apart from enhancing cybersecurity capability, it is also critical to spread the awareness of cybersecurity to more members of society.
The SAR’s Digital Policy Office, a newly-established administrative organ in charge of policy and regulation of technologies, will organize diverse events from September to December to follow up on China Cybersecurity Week.
Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com
