Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Symposium on Translation and Commercialization of DeepTech Biomedical Innovations today (March 21):

David (Faculty Investigator of the Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre (ABIC), Professor David A Weitz), CT (Director of the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology of the National University of Singapore, Professor Lim Chwee-teck), Tuomas (Co-Director of the Centre for Misfolding Diseases of the University of Cambridge, Professor Tuomas Knowles), Anderson (Centre Director of the ABIC, Professor Anderson Shum), Albert (Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Mr Albert Wong), Dennis (President of the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, Professor Dennis Lo), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. I am very pleased to join you all today here at the Symposium on Translation and Commercialization of DeepTech Biomedical Innovations organised by the Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre.

The Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, ABIC in short, is one of the centres admitted under Health@InnoHK, focusing on biomedical related research. Today's Symposium, organised by the Centre, is a concrete demonstration of global collaboration under InnoHK, attracting experts, scientists, industrialists and stakeholders in the I&T (innovation and technology) ecosystem, from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore, etc, to come to Hong Kong for fruitful exchanges on research translation and commercialisation in the biomedical sector.

The National 14th Five-Year Plan puts forward the development pattern of “dual circulation”, which takes the domestic market as the mainstay while enabling domestic and foreign markets to interact positively with each other, and expresses clear support for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to develop into an international I&T hub. This is in line with the important remarks given by President Xi in 2017, in which he expressly supported Hong Kong's development as an international I&T centre, affirmed the new positioning of Hong Kong's development and clearly specified the new direction of I&T, creating new opportunities for the I&T development in Hong Kong.

To take forward the I&T development of Hong Kong to the next level, we have published the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint which sets out four broad development directions, formulates eight major strategies, and devises specific development targets at different stages with a vision to develop Hong Kong as an international I&T centre, as enshrined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

Last week, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, MOST in short, and I signed the “Arrangement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on Expediting the Development of Hong Kong into an International Innovation and Technology Centre” in Beijing in the presence of the Chief Executive and the Minister of MOST, marking a new chapter for the science and technology co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong and indicating strong support from the Central Government for Hong Kong's development as an international I&T centre.

Despite of the disturbance posed by the pandemic in the past three years, Hong Kong has never swayed from the course in driving I&T development, and we are moving at full steam towards our vision of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, and have laid down clear directions for the future I&T development in Hong Kong under the I&T Development Blueprint as I have just mentioned. As far as biotechnology development is concerned, with the tremendous business opportunities, broad spectrum application potential of biotechnology and the outstanding research capabilities, as well as a deep talent pool in life and health disciplines in our universities, biotechnology has always been a key pillar in Hong Kong's I&T development.

The Government has previously introduced various initiatives to create a favourable environment conducive to the development of applied scientific research and technology start-ups. InnoHK, as a flagship initiative of the Government to develop Hong Kong as the hub for global research collaboration, has attracted over 30 world-renowned universities and research institutes around the globe from 11 economies to set up 28 research laboratories in collaboration with local institutes at the two research clusters established in the Hong Kong Science Park. The Health@InnoHK focuses on healthcare technologies, and AIR@InnoHK focuses on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies.

Apart from InnoHK which emphasises global research collaboration, the Government is working on incentivising collaboration among the industry, academic and research sectors by launching the $10 billion Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme within this year to fund, on a matching basis, at least 100 university research teams with good potential to become start-ups. We hope that this funding scheme can help accelerate the "from 1 to N" transformation and commercialisation of outstanding R&D (research and development) outcomes and the industry development.

To further enhance the I&T ecosystem of Hong Kong, we must step up our efforts in bringing in talent, technologies and enterprises, in particular Mainland and overseas leading technology enterprises and R&D institutions, and promote collaboration with the Mainland cities in the GBA, thereby enhancing the positive interactions among different stakeholders and elements.

We are also pushing ahead the development of our major I&T infrastructure projects. The establishment of the InnoLife Healthtech Hub will create another prominent platform focusing on R&D in life and health disciplines, which helps foster global science and research exchange and drive further collaboration with other Mainland cities in the GBA.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong has fully resumed to normalcy, I am confident that there will be more occasions like today for friends and I&T experts from all over the world to experience the thriving I&T ecosystem in Hong Kong. We strive to better leverage Hong Kong's strengths to promote Hong Kong as an international centre for innovation and technology at full speed, and to better integrate with the overall development of the country. By making good and wise use of innovation and technology, let us work together to build a more healthy and livable world.

In closing, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre for organising this Symposium, and gathering renowned professionals in the field to discuss on the translation and commercialisation of deeptech biomedical innovations. I wish the Symposium every success. Thank you and wish you all enjoy the sharing and discussion at the Symposium today.

-ENDS-