y? t i c t r a m s a What is smart city is
2),) A kıcı et al. (201 at a B to g in rd anced city th v (Acco d a d n a e city intensiv tion and a high-tech a rm fo in , a eople gies to create connects p lo o n h c te w e noing n petitive and in elements us m o c , y it c r e n ree lity. sustainable, g ased life qua re c in d n a , e erc vative comm 012)) i et al. (2 rd a b m o L to smart city: a to (According ts n e n ix compo There are s omy Smart econ ple Smart peo ernance Smart gov ility Smart mob onment Smart envir g Smart livin te’s Top 50 tu ti s In y g te Eden Stra Hong Kong , 1 2 According to 0 2 ts n Governme d her neigh in h e Smart City b is e h y 2021. S u (36). The cit o h ranks 41st in z g n a u G er (19) and pared to oth bours Taipei m o c n e h w ew ehind ndon and N is further b o L , re o p a g 3rd s. Sin , ranking 1st, financial hub 0 1 p to e th all in York City are ectively. and 6th resp
Comparing Hong Kong to Singapore and London Why is Hong Kong falling so behind its competitors? We can largely categorise the issues into two aspects: the technological aspect and the human aspect.
Technological aspect Ever since the introduction of their Smart Nation strategy in 2014, Singapore has launched a series of initiatives that have overhauled all aspects of urban life. This includes government-led initiatives to digitize small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the LifeSG app that lets citizens access more than 40 government services 7
under a unified ID, and a successful contact tracing system that facilitated the city state’s fast and decisive response to the coronavirus pandemic. London’s Smarter London Together roadmap, which is an update to the Smart London plan first launched in 2013, takes a collaborative approach to make London the world’s smartest city. For example, the Mayor’s Civic Innovation Challenge bridges technology firms with local councils, public sector agencies and large corporations to tackle the city’s many social challenges. City Hall has also launched the London Office for Data Analytics (LODA) which facilitates data sharing and collaboration across London’s public service offices. All these initiatives alongside the city’s track record with innovation dating back to the Industrial Revolution have made it the tech capital of Europe. Hong Kong had first released its Smart City Blueprint in 2017, but the rollout of the initiatives listed has been slow. This is most likely due to the government’s hands-off approach, in contrast to the governments’ leading roles in Singapore and London. The government has poured a lot of money into the expansion of Cyberport and Hong Kong Science Park, as well as setting up a Data Technology Hub and Advanced Manufacturing Centre in Tseung Kwan O, they have also given a lot of financial incentives for local enter-
