Ms Frances Ng (Tel: 2128 6739)
25 November, 2002

Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited ("Hutchison Telecom") has rendered its full support to the Hong Kong Public Key Infrastructure Forum ("HKPKIF") as the Founding and Steering Committee Member from the mobile industry. HKPKIF, established on 21 October 2002, aims at enhancing public and industry awareness of the importance of PKI products and services.

"We are pleased to be a Founding and Steering Committee Member of the HKPKIF. By capitalizing on the latest and most advanced e-commerce technologies, we are in a better position to promote secured m-commerce in Hong Kong and further strengthen our leading position in m-commerce development," said Agnes Nardi, Managing Director of Hutchison Telecom. "Hong Kong is one of the top three Asian economies with a world-class e-business environment. HKPKIF will play a key role in enhancing Hong Kong's leading position in e-commerce development and we are proud to be part of their joint efforts."

Hutchison Telecom serves HKPKIF as Founding and Steering Committee Member. Other Forum members include the Hongkong Post, professional service providers, financial institutes, certification authorities, IT companies, tertiary institutes and a charity organization.

In a bid to promote secured e-commerce activities locally and globally, Hutchison Telecom, together with other HKPKIF members, will explore and recommend globally accepted technology standards and guidelines for use of PKI in business applications. Among the issues on HKPKIF's agenda are security of open network, PKI interoperability, authenticity, integrity, confidentiality and non-repudiation. The Forum aims to further foster regional and international co-operation in PKI related subjects such as cross-certification, application development and interoperability arrangements.

Over the past few years, Hutchison Telecom has developed a variety of market-leading m-commerce applications including m-banking, m-stock trading, m-betting, m-shopping and download of m-coupons. The Company has joined forces with VISA in September 2001 to develop the world's first mobile payment service using Mobile 3-D Secure technology. It also took the lead by being the world's first mobile operator to be appointed the certified Registration Authority by Hongkong Post for the issuance of Mobile e-Certs in February 2002.

PKI covers the use of public key cryptography and digital certificates as the accepted means of authentication and access control over open networks, such as the Internet. While public key cryptography addresses issues of data integrity and transaction privacy, certificates address concerns in authentication and access control. Public key cryptography involves the use of a pair of different, but related, keys, which enables the conduct of e-commerce securely on the open telecommunications network or the Internet. Each user has a private key and a public key. The private key is kept secret, known only to the user; the other key is made public by placing it in the Public Directory maintained by the Certification Authority, such as the Hongkong Post in Hong Kong.