Hong Kong people take it for granted that everything works properly.

You flick the switch and there's power. The electricity grid is state-of-the-art and supply is more than adequate. Blackouts are not part of the vocabulary. Drinking water is readily and reliably available. Taxis operate around the clock. Mobile phones connect -- even in tunnels and in the underground railway.

The telecommunications system is fully digitised. The government began de-regulating the industry as early as 1995 when it issued fixed line telecommunications network service licences to four providers.

The mobile phone services market is very competitive with six operators and 11 networks. There are currently more than 200 Internet Service Providers in Hong Kong, more than five of which provide broadband connections. Broadband Internet connection is available to over 98% of households and more than 95% of business buildings.

The only modern, fully developed deep water harbour between Singapore and Shanghai, Hong Kong is the focal point of all maritime activities in southern China.

The container port in and around Kwai Chung is privately owned. In 2005, Hong Kong handled a total of 22.42 million TEUs, making it the world's busiest port.

Vessel turnarounds are among the fastest in the world and port charges are among the lowest world-wide. Container ships at terminal berths are routinely turned round in 10 hours or less, while conventional vessels working cargo at buoys are in port for only 1.8 days on average.

The state-of-the-art Hong Kong International Airport is just 23 minutes from the central business district by a high-speed rail link.

Opened on 6 July 1998, the Hong Kong International Airport is already one of, if not the best airports and one of the world's busiest airports and can process about 36 million passengers and 3 million tonnes of air cargo annually.


The Future

Hong Kong continues to move ahead with vision. It plans to spend US$30 billion over the next five years on a significant expansion of the railway network, new land formation, roads, new town developments, government buildings, schools, community facilities and environmental protection.