First W3C Office in China Looks to Development of Chinese Web Applications

Abstract

[evdate 1998-11-13] For release 5 November 1998

FIRST W3C OFFICE IN CHINA LOOKS TO DEVELOPMENT OF CHINESE WEB APPLICATIONS

The first World Wide Web Consortium Office in China will be inaugurated at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on 13 November 1998. This will be the first office of the Consortium outside the United States, Europe and Japan. The Honorable Tung Chee Hwa, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will appear at the Inauguration Ceremony.

The new W3C Office will promote and lead a concerted effort by companies and institutions in the region to develop a more mature Web environment for Chinese-speaking communities throughout the world. Today, use of the Web has grown dramatically in Chinese communities and many Web pages in Chinese can now be found. However, accessing those Chinese Web pages is neither simple nor seamless due to differences in the encoding systems and conventions used in different political entities.

"The Chinese Web scene is very chaotic these days," says Prof Vincent Shen, who teaches in the Department of Computer Science at HKUST and is the director-designate of the new Office. "Establishing a new office on the HKUST campus shows the Consortium's recognition of the importance and potential of Web development in this region. It also gives us an opportunity to foster the development of Chinese web applications that will help Chinese-speaking societies become information societies."

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994 to provide a forum where software developers could develop common protocols that enhance the evolution of the Web and ensure its interoperability. It now includes more than 250 member companies and institutions around the world.

Details of the W3C Office Inauguration Ceremony are as follows: Date:13 November 1998 (Friday) Time:2:00 pm (Tea reception will be served at 1:30 pm) Venue:Multipurpose Hall, University Center, HKUST Clear Water Bay, Kowloon

Note to Editors: Please arrive at the venue by 1:50pm. For further information, please contact Mr Bosco Wong of the Public Affairs Office at 2358-6307 or email pamedia@ust.hk.