[London, ENGLAND] The Royal Mail’s digital security
service ViaCode has this week signed an agreement with
Hongkong Post to develop joint electronic security and
trust services.
The agreement will pave the way for secure electronic
transactions between the U.K. and Hong Kong, for
government, businesses, and individual citizens.
With Hong Kong now part of the People’s Republic of
China, the agreement could have far-reaching implications
for Anglo-Sino trade. The U.K. and the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region will now recognize each other’s
digital certificates and ensure that future applications
will be compatible.
In a joint communiqué, Peter Taylor, ViaCode’s managing
director and Ping Chuen Luk, postmaster general of Hongkong
Post, welcomed the signing and noted that their two
organizations are market leaders in digital security
for government, industry and citizens.
“Now we’re looking at ways to electronically bring all
three elements of our two communities together and allow
them to use common trusted Internet applications for
administrative, business, cultural and social exchanges,”
they said.
ViaCode launched its services in March last year, and
claims to “set the northern hemisphere benchmark for
integrity and strength.” Its digital certificates,
based on 128-bit cryptography, are issued only after
rigorous proof of identity, and can be instantly revoked
with immediate system-wide effect.
Hongkong Post also offers electronic security, and has a
similar spread of customers in government and business.
ViaCode reaches U.K. citizens through Internet start-up
UK Smart.
Full information about ViaCode is available from the
Royal Mail’s special site at www.viacode.com.