Opening remarks by SITI at HKUST Unicorn Day 2026 "From Ideas to Miracles - 35 Years of Impact and Beyond"
Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at HKUST Unicorn Day 2026 "From Ideas to Miracles - 35 Years of Impact and Beyond" today (June 2):
HKUST, Photo source: reference image
Professor Nancy Ip (President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)), Ms Edith Shih (Vice-Chairperson of the University Council of the HKUST), Professor Ni (Founding President of the HKUST (Guangzhou), Professor Lionel Ni), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you all at HKUST Unicorn Day, especially as the University celebrates its remarkable 35th anniversary.
In just three and a half decades, the HKUST has risen from a bold vision on Clearwater Bay to a global powerhouse in deep-tech, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The University's ability to nurture unicorns and deep-tech ventures is the result of visionary leadership, a culture that embraces experimentation, and an ecosystem that nurtures talent and empowers young innovators to turn ideas into impact. Few young universities in the world have recorded such a rapid ascent. The HKUST's achievements are truly impressive.
Innovation and technology (I&T) has always been on the top agenda of the Hong Kong SAR Government. We fully recognise the crucial role of local universities - not only as key partners, but as the bedrock of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem. To this end, the Government has implemented a series of forward-looking initiatives to accelerate research translation, strengthen collaboration, and expand our talent pipeline. Among these, the RAISe+ Scheme has been particularly well received by local universities. To date, 73 projects have been supported, with over $3 billion of government funding committed.Nineteen of them came from the HKUST. This once again demonstrates the HKUST's strength in translating frontier research into real-world applications.
This year also marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, which signals clear and unwavering support for Hong Kong's I&T development. Just last week, Hong Kong celebrated a historic milestone in our nation's space endeavours. It is the first time ever that a payload expert from Hong Kong has joined the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight. We understand that among many other missions, our Hong Kong-born payload expert will operate the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory, an advanced Earth observation instrument invented by Professor Su Hui's team of the HKUST, on board the Tiangong space station. This is a powerful recognition of Hong Kong's scientific excellence at the national level. It also sends a clear message to all students and young innovators: Your ideas can go from the laboratory not only to the marketplace, but also to space. The future of innovation belongs to those who dare to dream boldly and fight for what they believe in.
As we look ahead, Hong Kong is entering a golden era of I&T development. We are building new engines of Hong Kong's high-quality development, including the Hetao Hong Kong Park, the San Tin Technopole and the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster. In addition to the existing R&D (research and development) institutes such as the Hong Kong Productivity Council, ASTRI (Applied Science and Technology Research Institute) and the Microelectronics Research and Development Institute, we will have the AI Research and Development Institute and the Life and Health Technology Research Institute to focus on R&D in the respective fields and lead industry application. All these will create unprecedented opportunities for universities, enterprises, and start-ups to work together, scale faster, and connect more deeply with the Greater Bay Area and the world.
As the HKUST celebrates its 35th anniversary, it stands on the cusp of an even more fruitful chapter. With the collective efforts of government, industry,academia,research and investmentsectors, and with the passion of young people inspired by achievements from Unicorn Day to Shenzhou 23, I am confident that Hong Kong will rise as a leading international I&T centre and contribute meaningfully to our nation's high-quality development, and that the HKUST will continue to be a driving force in this amazing journey.
May I wish Unicorn Day great success. Thank you.
The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, delivers opening remarks at the HKUST Unicorn Day 2026 "From Ideas to Miracles - 35 Years of Impact and Beyond" today (June 2). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Speech by SLW at opening ceremony of OSH INNO Expo
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at the opening ceremony of the OSH INNO Expo jointly organised by the Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council this morning (June 2):
Dr Mong (Chairman of Occupational Safety and Health Council, Dr David Mong), Dr Mohammed (President of the International Social Security Association, Dr Mohammed Azman), Mr Ho (President of the International Association of Labour Inspection, Mr Ho Siong-hin), Alice (Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Ms Alice Lau), Sam (Commissioner for Labour, Mr Sam Hui), Bonnie (Executive Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Council, Ms Bonnie Yau), distinguished speakers, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
A very warm good morning to all of you. Clearly, it is my great honour to welcome all of you to Hong Kong today to the OSH INNO Expo. As one who made a small contribution to the inception of the Expo, I am truly excited to see it growing into a very unique and renowned platform for safety innovators across the industry.
Here in Hong Kong, we attach great importance to the use of innovation and technology in public service, which is very essential to enhancing our quality and efficiency of the service we provide to our public, while at the same time ensuring cost effectiveness. When it comes to occupational safety and health, we are right now witnessing a fundamental transformation in workplace safety, all powered by artificial intelligence (AI). Through AI-enabled computer vision that monitors site hazards, and Internet of Things sensors that identify risks before they escalate, we are moving away from a reactive mindset towards a proactive culture of prevention.
But here in Hong Kong, we are adopting cutting-edge technologies to ensure safety that will eventually, we believe, reshape our construction site safety landscape. The Government, you can rest assured, will remain steadfast in promoting AI-driven solutions and Smart Site Safety Systems. Here in Hong Kong, we call them the 4S for occupational safety in construction sites.
Last year in July, we witnessed a key regulatory milestone, where we are going to mandate the use of 4S alert systems for building works involving tower cranes and mobile plants. Equipped with AI-powered sensors, these systems eliminate blind spots and detect potential human-machine conflicts in real time. By triggering instant audible and visual alerts - when you are touring with us, you can experience that in person - they help maintain a crucial safety buffer between workers and also the operating machinery. By embedding AI-driven systems into the data operation of construction sites, the 4S framework not only sets a new benchmark, but also demonstrates that achieving "Vision Zero" is realistic and attainable.
Indeed, our vision of Smart City is clearly reflected in today's Expo. The participating government departments, including the Development Bureau, the Labour Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Highways Department, and also the Water Services Department, have already integrated advanced technologies into their daily operations, enhancing both service delivery and enforcement effectiveness.
As the gate-keeper of occupational health and safety (OSH) here in Hong Kong, the Labour Department is one of the pioneers in adopting innovation and technology in inspection and enforcement work. For instance, it began utilising small unmanned aircraft for site inspections in October 2025. Equipped with superzoom cameras, these drones provide comprehensive aerial oversight of hard-to-reach and high-risk areas such as tower cranes and scaffolding. In the coming months, the Department will also introduce small unmanned detection vehicles to support inspections of high-risk drainage works and related accident investigations. These vehicles can verify the accuracy and comprehensiveness of risk assessments conducted by competent persons and enhance the OSH level within confined spaces. In addition, to combat climate change, the Department leveraged on the availability of extra data collected to enhance our Heat Stress at Work Warning system. Because in the hot days, we have to warn our workers about heat stress by incorporating more heat index measurements apart from traditional data to help enhance the system and accuracy of our heat index. This improves the coverage and sensitivity of the system. As a result, it strengthens the protection of health for employees working under a hot environment.
This Expo serves as a vital catalyst for scaling transformative technologies, underscoring that innovation is one of our most powerful tools for protecting lives. The advancements showcased in this event demonstrate that digital transformation is already taking root across our workplaces. I encourage all stakeholders - industry leaders, practitioners, workplace managers and innovators - to build on the momentum of this event and enhance a forward-looking, data-driven safety culture. I am sure, through our collective efforts, we can turn "Vision Zero" into a lasting reality.
On this occasion, I wish you all a very fruitful exchange and an inspiring experience at the Expo. Thank you and see you all tomorrow.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, Photo source: reference image
