Professor Sun Dong Advances Hong Kong's Innovation and Industrial Development During Beijing Visit

SITI continues visit to Beijing

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, continued his visit to Beijing yesterday afternoon (March 17) and today (March 18).

Professor Sun called on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and met with Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Mr Ke Jixin. They had an in-depth exchange on the arrangements for promoting the establishment in Hong Kong of the first national manufacturing innovation centre outside the Mainland, as well as on how Hong Kong can promote the development of new industrialisation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area under the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Professor Sun said that to implement the Co-operation Agreement on the Development of New Quality Productive Forces and the Promotion of New Industrialisation signed with the MIIT, as well as to actively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, deeply involve itself in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and better integrate into and serve the overall national development, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government had proposed in its Budget to earmark about $220 million to support the establishment of the innovation centre with the MIIT.

Professor Sun also visited the National Development and Reform Commission and met with the Director of the Department of Foreign Capital and Overseas Investment, Mr Zhang Huanteng. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong will proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan and participate in the construction of a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as its backbone. Both sides discussed ways to jointly promote new industrialisation in Hong Kong, drive industrial structure upgrading and optimisation, and nurture and build up emerging and future industries.

Professor Sun had a working meeting with Deputy Head of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange Mr Xu Zhibin, and briefed him on the latest progress in setting up the Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund by the HKSAR Government. Both sides discussed the participation of Mainland financial institutions in the Fund and in the development of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

Professor Sun then met with the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Haidian District Committee and District Mayor, Mr Xu Xinchao. Both sides exchanged views on collaboration between Haidian District and Hong Kong in the industry, academic and research sectors, and explored co-operative models with Haidian District for promoting the Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund.

Professor Sun also visited Linkerbot Beijing Technology Co Ltd to learn about the company's latest business developments, technological innovation outcomes and product application scenarios. The company focuses on developing embodied intelligence platforms centred on dexterous hands and cloud intelligence as core technologies. Professor Sun said that embodied intelligence presents a new track of deep integration between AI and robotics, and its rapid development in recent years has attracted widespread attention from the industry. He added that various I&T parks in Hong Kong will allocate resources to support the development of embodied intelligence enterprises in the city.

Additionally, Professor Sun met with the management of China Construction Bank to learn about the bank's suggestions on optimising Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem and financing environment. Both sides also exchanged views on how finance can better empower I&T development and promote new industrialisation.

The Commissioner for Industry (Innovation and Technology), Dr Ge Ming, also joined part of the visit.

Professor Sun will continue his visit to Beijing tomorrow (March 19).

SITI continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SITI continues visit to Beijing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected smuggled live turtles worth about $1 million

Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 17) detected a suspected live turtle smuggling case involving an outgoing private car at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port and seized 986 live turtles, with a total estimated market value of about $1 million.

Based on risk assessment, Customs yesterday intercepted an outgoing private car at the aforementioned control point. Upon inspection, the batch of suspected smuggled live turtles was found in seven black plastic bags placed in the trunk of the vehicle.

A 42-year-old male driver and a 50-year-old male passenger were arrested. They were charged by Customs with one count of attempting to export unmanifested cargo and were charged by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department with one count of cruelty to animals. The case will be brought up at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (March 19).

Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.

Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Also, according to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance (Cap. 169), any person who, by wantonly or unreasonably doing or omitting to do any act, causes any unnecessary suffering to any animal commits an offence and will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for three years upon conviction.

Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected smuggled live turtles worth about $1 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases