The document discusses the development of e-government interoperability infrastructure as presented at the APEC e-commerce business alliance forum in 2006, highlighting the importance of seamless integration and reliable data exchange among government and business systems. It also outlines the initiatives, technical specifications, and methodologies designed to promote service integration and accessibility through XML and open standards. Key elements include the establishment of a central data registry, recommendations for XML schema design, and the adoption of e-government technologies to facilitate business processes and enhance international competitiveness.

1. E-Government Interoperability
Infrastructure Development
2nd APEC E-Commerce Business Alliance Forum, Qingdao, 18-19 May 2006
Mr. Thomas Lee 李猷達
Chief Technology Officer
Center for E-Commerce
Infrastructure Development
The University of Hong Kong

2. Interoperability
Seamless integration of heterogeneous systems
Protocol interoperability: reliable data exchange
across systems and organizations over network
Information interoperability: same understanding of
information across systems and organizations
E-Government interoperability
Government-to-Government (G2G)
Government-to-Business (G2B)
Systems interoperate to perform cross-
organization business process automatically
2

3. Weather Data Everywhere
3

4. System Retrieval of Weather Data
300+ web sites, mass media, telecom operators retrieve
weather data from HK Observatory
Past:
Download Hong Kong Observatory web pages
Decode the HTML page and extract weather data
Problem: a slight change to layout would cause problems to
these users
Now:
Use XML
~HK$3,000 annual charge for accessing XML weather data
4

5. System-to-system dangerous goods declaration
Shipping
Shipping
Agents
Agents Paper submission
1
W
eb
su
bm Marine
2 iss
ion Dept
Internet
Hermes XML submission Hermes
MSH 3 ebXML Message Service MSH
over HTTPS on VPN
5

6. 2004 Digital 21 Strategy
Objectives
Improve customer interface and promote Customer Relations
Management (CRM)
Promote service integration with the aid of business process re-
engineering
Enhance accessibility to the Government and the transparency of
process
Leverage on the most appropriate technologies
Improve the measurement of performance and the value of e-
Government initiatives
Initiatives
E-Government Interoperability Framework
E-Government Infrastructure Services
6

7. HKSARG Interoperability
Framework (IF)
Provide client-centric joined-up government services to
the public
One-stop services and seamless information flow
XML is a key component
Protocol interoperability: IF technical specifications
Recommendation on use of open standards for different
applications
Information Interoperability:
XML Schema Design and Management Guide
Central Data Registry
http://www.ogcio.gov.hk/eng/infra/eif.htm
7

8. IF Technical Specifications
*Analysis underpinning The HKSARG Interoperability Framework Recommendations
Recommendations
8

9. XML Schema Design and
Management Guide
Methodology to design XML data
interfaces for G2G/G2B data exchange
Based on international standardization
methodologies, e.g. ebXML and UBL
Used to implement G2G/G2B services and
develop data standards
HKO weather data standard
Notifiable infectious disease information
messaging system
Dangerous goods declaration
Regarded as international best practices
http://egovernment.xml.org
Macau SARG plans to adapt this guide to
standardize ‘address’
9

10. Central Data Registry
Published
standardized
Common XML
Schemas
E.g. HKID#, Person
Name, Free Format
Address, etc.
www.xml.gov.hk
10

11. E-Government Infrastructure
Services (EGIS)
At present, B/Ds have to set up their own
environments to deliver e-services
Substantial cost due to repetitive efforts of individual
B/Ds
Interoperability problem across different systems
EGIS as central technology platform to deploy
electronic public services
Based on interoperable open standards suggested by
IF, e.g. Web Services, ebXML, PKI, etc.
Content hosting, G2G/G2B messaging, e-payment…
11

12. G2G2B Services on EGIS
OGCIO Dept B
Dept C
e-Government
Web Services Infrastructure
Hermes / ebXML Service (EGIS)
HKSARG OGCIO
Recruitment Issuance Shipping Clinics
Agents Companies Agents
B2B Hermes Other products
Connector
(Hermes Linux
Box)
12

13. eGovernment Technology R&D
E-government service integration technology
G2G and G2B application integration
E-government modeling and standardization
Open standards, open architecture, open source
From R&D results to commercial products
Hermes G2B and B2B messaging gateway
Adopted in EGIS as G2B gateway
B2B Connector messaging appliance
Adopted by companies to connect to EGIS
Enterprise Data Architect
Data modeling software to set XML data standards based on IF
methodology
13

14. Hermes to Support B2B EDI
on the Internet
EDI Private
Network
Order
Doc
EDI gateway EDI gateway
(EDI)
Buyer Seller
Expensive !!
With Hermes
Internet
Order
Doc
Hermes Hermes
Buyer (XML)
Seller
Cost effective, affordable by SMEs !! 14

15. Cost of Ownership
EDI * Hermes
Initial cost US$40,000 – $80,000 (Unix FREE
or Windows based) If running on Linux
US$120,000 (mainframe)
Programming cost US$40,000 - $120,000 US$3,000
(app development)
Operational US$0.25 - $1 per document Internet subscription
expenses (flat fee for unlimited usage)
* Source: “The Total Economic Impact of EDI” by Forrester Research
15

16. Global Market Penetration
Using Open Source Strategy
Open-source e-commerce software downloaded
by users from 80+ countries
FreebXML.org – international open-source
initiative to promote open-source e-commerce
software
16

17. B2B Connector
Plug-and-play B2B appliance (Hermes inside)
All-in-one, low cost
Supports open standards: ebXML, AS2, Web Services
Needs no programming
File exchange through shared folders
Supports data format conversion
Extensible through plug-ins
17

18. Paperless Trading
Fax machine for electronic documents?
System-to-system data
exchange
01010101
01010101
10101010
10101010
Manual data entry and
01010101
01010101 checking saved
Accurate data exchange
Human errors avoided
Round-the-clock operation
18

19. Hermes and B2B Connector
Deployed in EGIS
OGCIO Dept B
Dept C
e-Government
Web Services Infrastructure
Hermes / ebXML Service (EGIS)
HKSARG OGCIO
Recruitment Issuance Shipping Clinics
Agents Companies Agents
B2B Hermes Other products
Connector
(Hermes Linux
Box)
19

20. Awards
Linux
Linux Asia Pacific
Asia Pacific 6th HKCS
6th HKCS ebXML Asia
ebXML Asia
Business Award 2005
Business Award 2005 ICT Awards 2004
ICT Awards 2004 IT Excellence Awards
IT Excellence Awards Interoperability Certificate
Interoperability Certificate
20

21. Center for E-Commerce
Infrastructure Development
HKU E-Commerce R&D Center established since 2002
To create an infrastructure and environment that
To create an infrastructure and environment that
allows e-commerce to pervade large and small businesses
allows e-commerce to pervade large and small businesses
through technology innovation, industry collaboration,
through technology innovation, industry collaboration,
and knowledge cultivation.
and knowledge cultivation.
HK$32.7M (US$4.2M) Innovation and Technology Fund
Additional
Industry
ebXML Interoperability SOA Sponsorship
HK$9.5M HK$14M HK$9.2M HK$4.2M
(cash and software)
21

22. Sustainable R&D Model
Primitive Technology
Outsourcing Technology
Standardization
R&D Collab. Pilot
With Industry Deployment
R&D
R&D Proven
Consulting Input Technology
Mission Education
and Vision
Mass Technology
Deployment Transfer
Open Products Licenses
Source Commercialization
IT Community
Software Services
22

23. Conclusion
E-commerce capability enhances international competitiveness
Key for Hong Kong to become a regional trade hub
Software and standards are core e-transaction infrastructure
technology
Technology must be affordable, simple, and open for worldwide
adoption
Open source software and open standards
University-industry partnership builds sustainable R&D model
Government leadership in e-commerce adoption is a critical success
factor
Information interoperability among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and
Macao will be the next milestone
23

24. The End
URL: http://www.cecid.hku.hk
Email: ytlee@cecid.hku.hk