The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and Vice Minister of Science and Technology Professor Zhang Guangjun co-chaired the 17th meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee held in Hong Kong today (October 10).

Professor Sun said at the meeting that the National 14th Five-Year Plan clearly indicates support for Hong Kong to develop into an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, and provides Hong Kong a new positioning and mission for its development. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government promulgated at the end of last year the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint, laying out a clear development path and systematic strategic plan for Hong Kong's I&T development from the perspective of top-level planning and design. The HKSAR Government has signed this year two important agreements, namely the "Arrangement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on Expediting the Development of Hong Kong into an International Innovation and Technology Centre" and the "Memorandum of Understanding on Facilitating Cross-boundary Data Flow Within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area", with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Cyberspace Administration of China respectively, which will further promote the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T centre and its better integration into national development.

Professor Sun also expressed his gratitude to the Central Government and the MOST for their staunch support for Hong Kong's I&T development over the years. He said that in the past year, many important measures have been implemented, including the expansion of national science and technology programmes open to Hong Kong and promoting the cross-boundary flow of key elements of scientific research. Moreover, the assessment exercise of five State Key Laboratories (SKLs) in Hong Kong and six Hong Kong Branches of Chinese National Engineering Research Centres has been completed. Both sides also held discussions on the restructuring of the SKLs in Hong Kong and are drawing up the work plan.

Looking ahead, Professor Sun said that the HKSAR Government will continue to adopt a multipronged approach to deepen the co-operation and exchanges in I&T with the Mainland. In particular, the HKSAR Government will work together with the MOST to advance the development of Hong Kong into an international I&T centre as well as the development of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone in the Loop. The two sides will explore the implementation of dedicated cross-boundary measures enabling the Co-operation Zone to serve as the bridgehead for intensive I&T co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, introducing more facilitation measures to promote the flow of I&T elements, such as materials, capital, talent, information and technology, and allowing Hong Kong to further contribute to the science and technology development of the country.

"The country has expanded the scope of future development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Hong Kong, and opened up a new path for Hong Kong's I&T development. Hong Kong will live up to the I&T mission that the country has entrusted to us, actively advance the development of Hong Kong icnto an international I&T centre, and support the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area. We will continue to strengthen I&T co-operation with different Mainland provinces and cities, thereby complementing each other's strengths and leveraging Hong Kong's edges to serve the needs of the country, and to contribute to the country's grand vision of realising self-reliance and self-improvement and building a strong nation in science and technology," he added.

Mainland members attended the meeting included representatives from the MOST, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Beijing-Hong Kong Exchange of Personnel Centre, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the China Association for Science and Technology, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, the Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau and the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality.

The Hong Kong delegation comprised representatives from the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the City University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Baptist University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre, the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute and the Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians.

In addition, the two sides witnessed Cyberport being formally awarded as a State-level Scientific and Technological Enterprise Incubator by the MOST today. This is a recognition of the efforts that Cyberport has made in providing incubation and support services to Hong Kong start-up enterprises.

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