Speech by SITI at International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 Annual Meeting
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2025 Annual Meeting today (June 11):
Professor Greco (President of the ISSCR, Professor Valentina Greco), Mr Alm (Chief Executive Officer of the ISSCR, Mr Keith Alm), Professor Kathryn Cheah (2025 Annual Meeting Program Committee Co-Chair of the ISSCR), Professor Rocky Tuan (Lee Quo Wei and Lee Yick Hoi Lun Professor of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine of the Chinese University of Hong Kong), Professor Nancy Ip (President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It gives me great honour to stand before you today as we kick off the ISSCR 2025 Annual Meeting here in Hong Kong, a city where East meets West, tradition meets innovation, and today, science meets the future.
I still remember the pivotal moment in September 2022 when Kathryn, Nancy and Rocky approached me with a bold vision, that is, to bring this prestigious conference to Hong Kong. Without hesitation, I said, "Let’s make it happen!" And here we are, thanks to the relentless effort of the Bid Committee, the unwavering support of our three co-sponsoring universities, and of course the confidence that the ISSCR placed in us.
I would like to thank the ISSCR for choosing Hong Kong as the host city for this very important meeting. Your decision speaks volumes. It is not just about our city's thriving biomedical ecosystem, but about its growing role as a global hub for scientific collaboration.
Hong Kong is more than a skyline. It is a skyline of possibilities. We are moving full steam ahead to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre and a leading hub for life and health sciences. Hong Kong has a solid foundation in biomedical research with a good number of world-acclaimed award-winning scientists, well-accredited research outputs, an excellent clinical research track record and the state-of-art research infrastructure.
Our flagship R&D (research and development) initiative, InnoHK, exemplifies this commitment - bringing together over 30 world-renowned universities and research institutes from 12 economies, and setting up a total of 30 top-tier research labs. Sixteen of them are life science and health-related with many involving stem cell research in various dimensions, which are pushing boundaries every day.
Stem cell research is not just a field, it is a frontier. It holds the promise of rewriting medicine, healing the incurable, and unlocking the deepest mysteries of human biology. Over the next four days, this gathering will allow ideas to be shared, partnerships to be forged and inspiration to be ignited. The discoveries made here will not only make an impact in Hong Kong, but will also ripple across the globe.
As we stand at the forefront of stem cell research, a field that bridges the impossible and the inevitable, may I leave you with the words of Marie Curie, a pioneer who reshaped science: "Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Ladies and gentlemen, let this conference be a testament to that understanding. Together, we are not just studying stem cells, but unlocking the future of medicine. May I wish the ISSCR 2025 Annual Meeting a resounding success, and everyone a wonderful stay in Hong Kong. Thank you.
Speech by SITI at International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 Annual Meeting Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Housing Authority's estimated PRH allocation for 2026/27 records yearly increase of over 6 000 flats with estimated number of flats to be allocated to PRH applicants reaching 10-year high
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
The Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) today (June 18) approved the estimated public rental housing (PRH) allocation for 2026-27 and noted the actual allocation in 2025-26.
Estimated allocation surges as public housing production heads for breakthroughs
A spokesman for the HA said that the HA's actual allocation in 2025-26 has reached a total of 28 280 flats. Under the current-term Government's unremitting efforts to "enhance speed, quantity, quality and efficiency", the PRH production forecasts in 2026-27 will significantly increase by 44 per cent (i.e. about 6 900 flats) as compared with the previous year, bringing the estimated number of PRH flats available for allocation to approximately 34 500 (including about 14 600 new flats and about 19 900 recovered flats). The overall estimates are over 15 per cent higher than the estimates in 2025-26, of which the number of new flats has increased by 66 per cent (i.e. about 5 800) in comparison with the previous year.
Among the flats available for allocation in 2026-27, 26 750 flats (i.e. 77.5 per cent) will be allocated to PRH applicants. This represents an increase of over 70 per cent as compared with the annual average of 15 700 flats for the past three years before the current-term Government assumed office. Meanwhile, the estimated number of flats to be allocated to PRH applicants has reached a 10-year high.
Sufficient flats reserved for clearance and redevelopment
As regards other categories of applicants, the HA will reserve 1 300 flats for rehousing residents affected by clearance projects planned by various departments, and residents affected by other Government's squatter clearances, emergency clearances, unauthorised rooftop structure clearances and so forth. Among them, 300 flats will be set aside for rehousing residents affected by the Urban Renewal Authority's redevelopment projects scheduled for 2026-27.
Meanwhile, the HA will also reserve 1 150 flats under the category of the HA's Estate Clearance and Major Repairs to facilitate the clearance programmes of Wah Fu Estate, Choi Hung Estate, Sai Wan Estate and Ma Tau Wai Estate.
Making every effort to cater for Compassionate Rehousing and flexibly reserve flats to meet transfer needs
In the past, the HA has long handled all demands for Compassionate Rehousing (CR) as recommended by the Social Welfare Department without setting any upper limit. The HA will reserve 300 flats for allocation under the CR category in 2026-27.
Under the category of Transfers, an estimate of 4 000 flats will be reserved for various transfer purposes in 2026-27, among which a quota of 1 300 will be used for the transfer of under-occupation households so that more large flats can be recovered for easing the pressing demand of applicants with four or more household members. Moreover, the HA will reserve around 1 000 flats for the Transfer Scheme for Improving the Living Environment. The remaining 1 700 flats will be flexibly deployed for other transfer purposes, including Special Transfer, the Harmonious Families Transfer Scheme and transfers under the Full Rent Exemption Scheme for Elderly Households.
For the category of Junior Civil Servants, the HA will continue to reserve 1 000 flats under the Civil Service Public Housing Quota Scheme in 2026-27.
Efficient use of resources for flexible allocation
The HA makes annual projections of the supply of PRH flats that can be allocated in the coming year and how such flats will be allocated to the various categories of demands. The HA will closely monitor any changes in society and maintain flexibility in the allocation of PRH flats to optimise the use of resources.
The breakdown of estimated allocations for various categories in 2026-27 is available in the Annex.
Source: AI-found images
