While Taiwanese companies have reportedly been urged to reconsider their Australian investment plans by a Taiwanese-Australian business association following the recent strong showing by Pauline Hanson's One Nation party in Queensland elections, the Hong Kong government earlier this week took a step towards accelerating the pace of IT co-operation between Australia and the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
In Canberra, a Hong Kong government delegation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Australian government to promote cooperation and exchanges within the scope of information technology, according to a spokesman for the Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau (ITBB).
The agreement was signed by Glenys Roper, Australia's chief government information officer, and KC Kwong, secretary of the ITBB. The MOU was the second agreement of its nature signed by the Hong Kong government in as many months.
In May, the Hong Kong Government signed an MOU on IT cooperation with the Canadian Government.
"The MOU will focus on areas of mutual interest for cooperation which both sides have identified, including the delivery of government services online, multimedia and software applications and products, electronic commerce, broadband networks and applications, and Internet applications," Kwong said.
This week's agreement will remain in place for the next five years and can be extended by mutual agreement of the governments of Australia and Hong Kong, government officials said.
