Hong Kong and Mainland China Strengthen Innovation and Technology Cooperation at 19th Joint Meeting

SITI and Vice Minister of Science and Technology co-chair 19th meeting of Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and Vice Minister of Science and Technology Chen Jiachang co-chaired the 19th meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee held in Hong Kong today (November 5).

Professor Sun said at the meeting that the National 15th Five-Year Plan indicates clear support for Hong Kong's development into an international innovation and technology hub. This demonstrates the country's expectation and confidence that Hong Kong will play a more active role in building a technologically advanced nation in the future, and reflects the country's affirmation of the commitment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in innovation and technology (I&T) development. The HKSAR Government will proactively align with the 15th Five-Year Plan, seize the significant opportunities brought about by the country's development, and leverage its own unique advantages.

Professor Sun said that the HKSAR Government is implementing in an orderly manner the direction and strategies as set out in the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint, strategically allocating resources to strengthen the efficient collaboration among the Government, industry, academic, research and investment sectors with a view to developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. With three major I&T parks and five key research and development (R&D) institutions as the development framework, the HKSAR Government will proactively promote the synergistic development among upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem, with a view to supporting Hong Kong's high-quality development, and serving the country's needs with Hong Kong's own strengths.

Professor Sun also expressed his gratitude to the Central Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) for their staunch support for Hong Kong's I&T development over the years. In addition to the restructuring of the State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong, Mainland ministries and commissions have continuously expanded the national science and technology (S&T) programmes open to Hong Kong, allowing more in-depth participation of Hong Kong scientists in the national S&T programmes, thereby further deepening the I&T co-operation and exchanges of the two sides, and allowing Hong Kong to further contribute to the S&T development of the country.

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. Among them, promoting the cross-boundary flow of innovation elements in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Hetao Co-operation Zone) is a key area in deepening the co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong. Capitalising on the "one zone, two parks" advantage, the HKSAR Government will continue to liaise closely with relevant parties on the future development of the Hetao Co-operation Zone with a view to implementing the measures on the cross-boundary flow of innovation elements.

"As a core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) serving as one of the core engines for regional development, the HKSAR Government will continue to collaborate with GBA sister cities for joint developments, promote the high-quality I&T development of the region, better integrate into and serve the overall national development, and contribute to the high-quality development and high-level technological self-reliance of the country. We will continue to establish Hong Kong as an international I&T centre at full strength and full speed, and accelerate the formation and development of new quality productive forces with Hong Kong's competitive edge. We will also continue to proactively capitalise on Hong Kong's distinctive advantages of having strong support from the motherland and close connection with the world under the 'one country, two systems' principle, and Hong Kong's dual roles in bringing in and going global, with a view to becoming a bridge connecting the country and the world, including Belt and Road countries and regions, in I&T collaboration, and to better serve the country's high-quality development", he added.

Mainland members attending the meeting included representatives from MOST, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Beijing-Hong Kong Exchange of Personnel Centre, the National Health Commission, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, the Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, and the Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality.

The Hong Kong delegation comprised representatives from the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Digital Policy Office, 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-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited, the Hong Kong Productivity Council, 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, the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering and the Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians.

SITI and Vice Minister of Science and Technology co-chair 19th meeting of Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI and Vice Minister of Science and Technology co-chair 19th meeting of Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI and Vice Minister of Science and Technology co-chair 19th meeting of Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI and Vice Minister of Science and Technology co-chair 19th meeting of Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by CE at Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum

Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum today (April 1):

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to join you, today, for the fourth Women Power Forum, delighted to be here among so many esteemed female leaders and distinguished guests.

They say women hold up half the sky, and in today's Hong Kong, that is exactly what we see.

In the private sector, a growing number of listed companies now have a good number of female directors, and women's participation in corporate leadership continues to rise. In the professional world, more than half of our accountants and lawyers are women. And within the Government, eight out of 15 directors of bureaux, along with the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, are women. Forty-nine per cent of our civilian civil servants are also women.

In short, women are both the leaders and the backbone of our economy and our government. Hong Kong is clearly far better because of it, because of the women of Hong Kong. Very proud of you all.

Hong Kong's achievements stand as a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to women's development and gender equality.

We champion these goals because we recognise a fundamental truth: that women's progress is not just a women's issue; it is a shared responsibility, one that benefits everyone. In Hong Kong and around the world.

That's why the theme of this year's Women Power Forum is "Women Across Nations: Unite to Prosper." Working together, we can continue to drive progress, locally, regionally and globally.

I wish you all a rewarding Forum and, for those of you here from outside Hong Kong, an enjoyable stay in the world's rising East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Thank you.

Source: AI-found images