Hong Kong Hosts International Science and Technology Forum to Foster Global Innovation Collaboration

ISTIF of Boao Forum for Asia explores global collaboration in promoting I&T development

Co-organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) and Boao Forum for Asia, the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum (ISTIF) of the Boao Forum for Asia 2025 Hong Kong Conference was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for two consecutive days (June 6 and 7). Under the theme of

"Transitioning Towards the Future: Powered by Science, Technology and Innovation", the conference attracted some 800 leading experts, academics and political and economic leaders from the Mainland and overseas to gather in Hong Kong for an in-depth exchange and sharing of experience, and to explore how to capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantage of being connected to the Mainland and the outside world and how to foster global co-operation in the field of innovation and technology (I&T).

Fully recognising Hong Kong's advantage of being highly internationalised and as the gateway to both China and the world, the ISTIF was held in Hong Kong for the first time.

In the Opening Plenary held today (June 7), presided by the Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia, Mr Zhang Jun; Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the President of the ISTIF, Mr Edmund Ho; the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia Board of Directors, Mr Ban Ki-moon; former Prime Minister of Finland and the Honourary Chairman of the ISTIF, Mr Esko Aho; former President of Slovenia, Mr Danilo Türk; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Liu Guangyuan; and former Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Mr Don Pramudwinai, delivered speeches to unveil the Hong Kong Forum which was held right after the plenary.

Speaking at the plenary, Mr Lee stated that under the principle of "one country, two systems", Hong Kong is the only world city that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. He said that Hong Kong would take full advantage of its established tradition of the rule of law, world-class universities and robust intellectual property protection regime in its development into an international innovation and technology centre.

Mr Lee added that the world stands at the consequential crossroads in human history, and the convergence of artificial intelligence and health technology will not only serve as tools, but also lead to humanity's evolution into the next era of development. He remarked that the thriving of innovation must be rooted in international co-operation, and the open and free exchange of knowledge, talent and ideas.

The Hong Kong Forum was held under the theme of "Leveraging the Advantages of Connecting with Both the Mainland and the World to Foster Global Innovation and Technology Collaboration". With the participation of renowned Hong Kong experts and political and business leaders in various fields, including the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Chairman of theBoard of Directors of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, Dr Sunny Chai; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, Mr Sunny Tan; the Vice-Chancellor and President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Dennis Lo; the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, Ms Clara Chan; Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Li Zexiang; and the Chairman of the Board, Executive Director and the Chief Executive Officer of Insilico Medicine, Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, the forum explored how Hong Kong can fully leverage its unique advantages of internal and external connectivity to promote efficient collaboration among the government, industry, academia, research and investment, with a view to fostering global collaboration and I&T development.

Delivering at the Hong Kong Forum, Professor Sun said that the Government has launched a series of robust policies to solidify Hong Kong's research capabilities, accelerate the transformation of research and development outcomes, and promote the development of the technology industry, with the aim to build a complete I&T ecological chain encompassing the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors while promoting interactive collaboration across government, industry, academia, research, and investment sectors, turning breakthroughs into impact, and ideas into global solutions.

A total of 10 sessions of sub-fora, cutting-edge dialogues and roundtables were held and joined by former foreign heads of state and leaders, senior representatives of international organisations, renowned scientists and university academics, entrepreneurs and start-ups from Hong Kong and abroad, as well as youth leaders from various countries. They exchanged insights on a wide range of topics, including global science and technology governance, sustainable development, innovation clusters, life sciences, future mobility, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, financial innovation and youth leadership, contributing to the enhancement of international co-operation and global governance in science, technology and innovation.

For details of the conference, please visit www.bfa-istif.cn.

ISTIF of Boao Forum for Asia explores global collaboration in promoting I&T development Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ISTIF of Boao Forum for Asia explores global collaboration in promoting I&T development Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ISTIF of Boao Forum for Asia explores global collaboration in promoting I&T development Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

ISTIF of Boao Forum for Asia explores global collaboration in promoting I&T development Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CHP reminds public to take precautions against cold weather

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 3) reminded the public, particularly the elderly, people with chronic illnesses, outdoor workers, pregnant women, infants and children, to adopt appropriate measures to protect their health in view of the cold weather.

Photo source: reference image

Elderly and people with chronic illnesses

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A spokesman for the CHP said that in general, elderly people have less insulating fat, and their body temperature control mechanisms would be weaker. Their body may not respond appropriately to the cold weather. In addition, some senior persons may have decreased mobility, which can impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat.

Chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes or hypothyroidism, would lower their metabolic rate, subsequently causing their body to generate less heat. Besides, persons with chronic illnesses, such as chronic respiratory illnesses or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, are vulnerable to disease aggravation due to cold weather.

The spokesman reminded the public, in particular the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, to adopt the following preventive measures:

• Take note of the weather forecast. Wear warm clothing, including hats, scarves, gloves and socks, accordingly;

• Consume sufficient food to ensure adequate calorie intake;

• Perform regular exercise to facilitate blood circulation and heat production;

• Stay in a warm environment. Avoid going out in the morning and at night when the temperature is lower, and avoid prolonged outdoor exposure;

• Use heaters with care and maintain adequate indoor ventilation;

• Avoid alcoholic beverages. Drinking alcohol cannot keep you warm. Alcohol accelerates the loss of body heat through dilated blood vessels, resulting in chilling instead; and

• Seek medical advice if feeling unwell.

Infants, children and pregnant women

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Infants and young children are more susceptible to heat loss during the cold weather. The spokesman reminded parents that they should ensure babies are sufficiently warm, but it is also important to keep babies relatively lightly clothed to avoid overheating them. When children engage in outdoor activities, their clothing should be adjusted accordingly, and changed quickly if soaked. Infants, young children and pregnant women should also try to avoid going out in the morning and at night when the temperature is lower.

Parents should observe the following safety measures when putting their children to bed:

• Keep the room well ventilated and at a comfortable temperature;

• Always place babies on their backs to sleep. Leave their heads, faces and arms uncovered during sleep;

• Babies do not need pillows. Place babies on a firm and well-fitted mattress to sleep. Avoid soft objects, pillows and loose bedding;

• Let babies sleep in a cot placed near their parents' bed; and

• Maintain a smoke-free environment.

Outdoor workers

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Outdoor workers should take heed of the weather report and wear appropriate warm clothing for work. Clothing should be changed as soon as possible if soaked. When the Cold Weather Warning is in force, they should take appropriate precautions. They should take a break immediately and seek help and medical attention if feeling unwell.

General public

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In addition, many respiratory pathogens, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, may have increasing activity and community transmission during winter. Seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccinations early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP's website.

A person who gets influenza and COVID-19 at the same time may become more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. It is important for elderly persons, especially those residing in residential care homes, to receive both a seasonal influenza vaccination and a COVID-19 vaccination. They should also receive an additional booster against COVID-19 according to recommendations as soon as possible. The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against respiratory illnesses and note the following:

• Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;

• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;

• Avoid touching one's eyes, mouth and nose;

• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;

• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;

• Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;

• Maintain good indoor ventilation;

• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and

• Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

Food-borne diseases, particularly those linked to hotpot cuisine, are also common in cold weather. The following preventive measures should be taken:

• Wash hands before handling and consuming food;

• Do not patronise unlicensed vendors or those with poor hygienic standards while selecting food;

• Wash and cook all food thoroughly;

• Vegetables should be washed thoroughly in clean running water before cooking and consumption. When appropriate, scrub vegetables with hard surfaces with a clean brush to remove dirt and substances, including pesticide residues and contaminants, from surfaces and crevices;

• Shrimps should be fully cooked until the shells turn red and the flesh turns white and opaque;

• For shellfish such as scallops and geoduck, scrub the shells thoroughly and remove internal organs;

• Do not eat any undercooked freshwater aquatic products. To ensure that the food is thoroughly cooked, the centre of the food should reach a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius so as to destroy pathogens;

• Most hotpot ingredients should be stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees C or below, while frozen food should be stored in a freezer at -18 degrees C or below;

• Never use raw eggs as a dipping sauce for hotpot; and

• Use different sets of chopsticks to handle raw and cooked food to avoid cross-contamination.

In addition, when using fuel-burning appliances, especially in indoor areas, the public should ensure adequate ventilation to avoid harmful exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and prevent CO poisoning.

Fo more health information, the public may call the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111) or visit the CHP's website and Facebook Fanpage as well as press releases of the Labour Department on precautions against cold weather for outdoor workers and their employers when the Cold Weather Warning is in force.

The public may also call Dial-a-Weather (1878 200) or visit the website of the Hong Kong Observatory for the latest weather information and forecasts, or its page on Weather Information for Senior Citizens.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP), Photo source: reference image