Hong Kong's Innovation Drive: Professor Sun Dong Highlights Global Opportunities at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

2025-06-14 09:00 Last Updated At：09:18

SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, attended Viva Technology 2025 (VivaTech) in Paris, France, yesterday (June 13, Paris time). In his keynote speech at a seminar and networking reception themed "From Hong Kong to the World: Embarking on the New Journey of Innovation" organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Professor Sun said Hong Kong is forging ahead with a clear vision to develop as an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre, and is committed to pushing boundaries, embracing change, and seizing global opportunities.

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SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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SITI attends Viva Technology 2025 in Paris, France Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Professor Sun said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been introducing agile policies, building world-class infrastructure and facilitating global I&T collaboration. He noted the flagship research and development (R&D) initiative, InnoHK, fosters global R&D collaboration. Hong Kong is also carrying out meticulous planning for building artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, including AI Supercomputing Centre opened last year and the Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute to be established, together with $10 billion dollars-worth Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund channeling more market capital to turbocharge strategic industries, with AI at the core.

Highlighting that Hong Kong being an ideal gateway for global enterprises to enter the Mainland market, Professor Sun said the HKSAR Government has been actively attracting overseas and the Mainland I&T enterprises to set up or expand their businesses in Hong Kong. Companies choosing HK for the international headquarters exemplify Hong Kong’s important role as a "super connector" and a "super value-adder" between Mainland China and the rest of the world, serving as a two-way springboard for attracting overseas enterprises and helping Mainland enterprises to "go global".

During the seminar and networking reception, Professor Sun also exchanged views with members of the local I&T sector, investors and start-ups' founders on I&T development and collaboration.

Professor Sun also visited the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion. Twenty start-ups from the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and Cyberport participated this year, showcasing cutting-edge solutions and innovations in areas of AI, robotics, HealthTech, sustainable and ClimateTech, and Fintech. At the same time, Professor Sun toured the Canada Pavilion set up by Canada which was selected as country of the year for VivaTech 2025, the China Pavilion and pavilions set up by other leading enterprises and start-ups where he had a brief exchange with representatives of the participating organisations to learn more on their innovative solutions.

In the evening, Professor Sun met with Mr Emmanuel Carcassonne, the Chairman of La French Tech Hong Kong-Shenzhen, a community dedicated to supporting the development of the French startup ecosystem both in France and internationally. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong is a reliable partner for French startups to settle and expand businesses in Hong Kong.

In the afternoon, Professor Sun paid a courtesy call on Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in France Mr Chen Li, to brief him on the work of developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre, enhancing the I&T ecosystem, fostering co-ordinated development among upstream, midstream and downstream, as well as the city's continuous efforts in integrating into national I&T development.

Professor Sun will continue his visit to Paris today (June 14, Paris time) and depart for the Netherlands on June 15 (Amsterdam time).

Nestlé Hong Kong Recalls Additional Infant Formula Over Bacillus Cereus Contamination Concerns

CFS to follow up certain batches of powdered infant and young children formula with possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 10) said that, it took initiative to meet with Nestlé Hong Kong again today, and confirmed the company's today announcement of an additional batch of powdered infant and young children formula suspected to have possibly used the raw material concerned. Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall. The CFS has collected samples of powdered infant and young children formula from the market for Bacillus cereus testing, the test results so far were satisfactory. The Environmental and Ecology Bureau is also closely monitoring the supply situation of other formula milk powder and maintaining communication with other major suppliers. It is noted that there is sufficient formula milk powder to meet the demand.

The spokesman said, the CFS has been actively following up on Nestlé company's voluntary and precautionary recalls of certain batches of its powdered infant and young children formula in certain areas in Europe due to possible presence of Cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus in the individual raw material. According to the latest information from Nestlé Hong Kong today, an additional batch of its powdered infant and young children formula imported into Hong Kong might have used the raw material concerned. The CFS had earlier enhanced surveillance in the market and collected a sample from the above batch for testing of Bacillus cereus. The test result of the sample was satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a precautionary measure, Nestlé Hong Kong has voluntarily stopped sales, removed from shelves the affected products and has initiated a precautionary recall.

Product details are as follows:

Product name (Net weight): NAN PRO 1 2 HMO (800g)

Batch number: 51670742F2

Best-before date: June 16, 2027

Place of Origin: Germany

"The CFS met Nestlé Hong Kong again today, urging them to properly handle the product recall issue and respond to public enquiries, in order to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests. In addition, the CFS and Nestlé Hong Kong have jointly followed up, six suspected affected batches of infant and young children formula products that had not entered the market were marked and sealed. An additional 15 batches are currently en route to Hong Kong and will also be marked and sealed upon arrival. The CFS will continue to closely monitor the recall matters and remain fully committed to ensuring food safety, " the spokesman said.

Nestlé Hong Kong has initiated a recall of the affected batches of the products concerned. For enquiries about the recall, members of the public may contact the company through the following channels:

Consumer services hotline: 2599 8874 / 2797 6031/ 2179 8136 (Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm)

Email: consumerservices@hk.nestle.com

WhatsApp: 5283 4139 (NESTLÉ® NAN®) / 2599 8871 (Wyeth® Nutrition)

Online form: forms.office.com/e/BhqMhWfsUG?origin=lprLink

Consumers may choose to bring along the products (brand new or opened) for refund at place of purchase, or at exclusive service counters of Nestlé Nutrition Services from January 13 (Tuesday) onwards, to settle the recall and refund of the batches of the products concerned. Details of the exclusive service counters are as follows:

Kowloon Services Counter

Address: G/F, Park Hovan Commercial Building, 18 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon (MTR Jordon Station Exit D)

Contact number: 3996 8196

Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm; Sunday, 1pm to 5.30pm (except public holidays)

Hong Kong Services Counter

Address: 1/F, Ka Nin Wah Commercial Building, 423-425 Hennessy Road, Hong Kong (MTR Causeway Bay Station Exit B)

Contact number: 3996 8197

Office hour: Monday to Saturday, 11am to 7.30pm (except Sundays and public holidays)

The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted earlier that certain batches of Nestlé powdered infant formula were being voluntarily recalled in Europe due to possible contamination with Bacillus cereus. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS has immediately initiated follow up actions, published food incident posts to inform the public and the trade about the issue, and has been actively following up on the incident and enhanced surveillance.

Over the past three days (as of 4pm on January 9), the FEHD received a total of 18 food complaints and enquiries suspected to be related to the infant and young children formula products, including one anonymous complaint without contact information. The CFS and the Environmental Hygiene Branch have promptly followed up on all cases, including contacting the parties concerned to obtain details and collecting samples for testing. In addition, the CFS has referred the cases to the health department for follow-up. At present, no food poisoning cases related to the formula have been recorded.

Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Cereulide is a heat-stable toxin produced in food by some strains of Bacillus cereus. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus or its heat-stable toxins may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.

The spokesman urged members of the public not to let infants and young children consume the affected batches of the products, and to seek medical treatment for infants or young children who felt unwell after taking the products concerned. The trade should also stop using or selling the affected batches of the products immediately.

"The CFS continues to closely monitor the developments of the situation, follow up and take appropriate action," the spokesman said.

Hong Kong's Innovation Drive: Professor Sun Dong Highlights Global Opportunities at VivaTech 2025 in Paris

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