Hong Kong Government Launches New Electronic Certificate Scheme

Mary Swire, Tax-news.com, Hong Kong

22 January 2001

As of last Friday, residents in Hong Kong can now apply for an electronic certificate which will enable them to make online transactions and communicate with the government.

The new e-cert is part of the wide range of public online services provided by the Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) scheme. Launched last month, ESD enables access to over 60 online public services including payment of government fees, submission of tax returns, voter registration, renewal of driving and vehicle licences, change of personal address and so forth via the Internet. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Deputy Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mr Alan Siu, described the system as an 'innovative way of public service delivery which is simple, user-friendly and citizen-centric.'

In explaining the need for the e-cert, Mr Siu said: 'Some ESD applications require digital signatures using digital certificates issued by a recognised certification authority to authenticate the identity of users. The public may apply for digital certificates from the post offices.'

In a statement at the launch of the e-cert facility, the Hong Kong Post announced: 'To enable the development of electronic commerce in Hong Kong, Hongkong Post has established a public key infrastructure (PKI) and acts as a public Certification Authority (CA) in Hong Kong. This provides a secure and trusted environment for the conduct of electronic transactions.'

The annual renewal fee for the personal e-Cert is US$50.

Applications for an e-cert can be made via the Hong Kong Post's website: http://www.hongkongpost.gov.hk

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