Google has announced plans to open a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) region in Hong Kong in 2018 as part of its ongoing Asia-Pacific expansion.
The new GCP Hong Kong region will be the sixth in Asia-Pacific, joining facilities in Taiwan and Tokyo as well as the recently launched Mumbai, Sydney, and Singapore regions.
The initiative also forms part of Google's commitment to boosting Hong Kong's digital economy and smart city efforts. Recent research [pdf] from the company found that Hong Kong remains at the early stages of digital transformation despite its high internet connected population (81%).
In addition while 95% of Hong Kong companies see digital transformation as critical, companies at best only gradually embrace the latest digital technology.
"A solid cloud infrastructure is the foundation for building a smart city and helping businesses succeed in the digital economy. We are glad that Google is launching the Hong Kong cloud region, a recognition of Hong Kong's edge and strengths as a data hub," commented Nicholas Yang, secretary for innovation and technology for the HKSAR government.
"This means businesses in Hong Kong, whether big or small, can leverage the latest, well-established technology infrastructure to expand and succeed in the region and globally."
First published in Computerworld Hong Kong