Executive Introduction

Understanding and meeting local needs has been a key focus of our first 15 years in Hong Kong - and will remain so in the future. Our focus is on working closely with government, community groups, academia, industry partners, and customers to address the challenges that industries and communities in Hong Kong are facing.

We strive to help strengthen the local economy with products that help to increase customer productivity and competitiveness and through a business model that creates opportunities for more than 2,600 partners. Their work involves leveraging the software created by Microsoft to develop and deliver solutions to a broad range of customers - individuals and organizations of all sizes exploring business opportunities in Hong Kong, the Pan Pearl River Delta, and the global marketplace.

A recent economic impact study conducted by TNS (a leading global research company) found that these Microsoft partners now employ over 35,800 people locally and contribute HK$2.3 billion in tax revenue. These partners expect to create almost 4,000 new jobs in Hong Kong in 2005 and expand their businesses by an average of 20%.

To promote workforce development and lifelong learning in Hong Kong, we are also helping to bring the benefits of technology to communities and classrooms across the region. And to help protect what Hong Kong has achieved in advanced technology usage adoption and infrastructure, we cooperate with a range of partners to promote a secure and safe computing setting in which people can work, communicate, shop, and share with confidence.

Our commitment to corporate citizenship encompasses all of these areas because we believe technology is vital to Hong Kong's continuing success and we are committed to community partnership as the best way to foster economic growth, advance technology use and skills, and promote digital inclusion.

The following report provides you with an overview of some of our initiatives and the impact they have on business in Hong Kong and the general community. We are committed to many more years of growing partnerships in Hong Kong and helping businesses, communities, and people to realize their full potential. We look forward to working with you in these endeavors.

Yours sincerely,

Alexander Huang

Regional Director, Greater China Region
Microsoft Corporation