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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (February 22) the February 2007 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Trading Firms with Manufacturing-related activities", "The Survey on Waiting List Applicants for Public Rental Housing" and "Expenditure on Information Technology in the Business Sector, 1998-2005" are included.
"Trading Firms with Manufacturing-related activities"
Driven by the open economic policies of China, the Hong Kong economy has been undergoing structural changes since the 1980s. Among others, many Hong Kong manufacturers have relocated their manufacturing processes to the mainland of China (Mainland). Some import and export firms in Hong Kong also operate factories in the Mainland. Through the sub-contract processing arrangement in the mainland of China, Hong Kong entrepreneurs have successfully reduced the costs of manufacturing by taking advantage of the abundant labour and land resources in the Mainland. Many of the firms which have moved their manufacturing processes to the Mainland continue to operate in Hong Kong as import and export firms. These firms also provide manufacturing-related technical support services, e.g. product design, sample and mould making, and production planning, to the associated manufacturing firms in the Mainland.
Feature articles addressing this subject have been published regularly since 1995. The present article provides some latest information on the above development.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Distribution Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel. : 2802 1367).
"The Survey on Waiting List Applicants for Public Rental Housing"
Currently, there are over 100 000 applicants queuing up for public rental housing (PRH), in which about 30% of the households in Hong Kong reside. The waiting list (WL) applicants for PRH have distinct socio-economic characteristics of their own. This article analyses and describes the socio-economic profile of the WL applicants, in particular the related trends from 1999/2000 to 2005/06, based on a series of the Survey on WL Applicants for PRH conducted during this period.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call Statistics Section (1), Housing Department (Tel. : 2761 5640).
"Expenditure on Information Technology in the Business Sector, 1998-2005"
The rapid development of information technology (IT) has been impacting our society at large in this information age. Successful adoption of IT is often seen as a strong force for raising productivity and propelling economic growth. IT has become a very important production factor. To assess the impact of IT, it is first necessary to have data on the expenditure in this area. This article aims to provide an up-to date picture of expenditure on IT in the business sector in Hong Kong.
Total IT expenditure in the business sector increased by 71% from $15.6 billion in 1998 to $26.7 billion in 2005. The ratio of IT expenditure in the business sector to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at factor cost also gone up from 1.3% in 1998 to 2.0% in 2005.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Science and Technology Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2887 5138).
Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population and vital events; labour; external trade; industrial production; land, housing, building and construction; transport, communications and tourism; public accounts, money and finance; prices; commerce; social conditions; energy; and national income and Balance of Payments. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available.
Users can download this publication free of charge at the "Statistical Bookstore, Hong Kong" (www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk) of the C&SD.
Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$100 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address : 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel. : 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Statistical Bookstore and the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk). Print versions if purchased online are offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices.
Enquiries about the contents of this publication can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel.: 2582 4738).
Ends/Thursday, February 22, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:00
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