SITI Strengthens Hong Kong-Slovakia Ties Through Innovation and Technology Collaboration During Visit to Slovakia

SITI commences visit to Slovakia

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, commences his visit to Bratislava, Slovakia, in the afternoon of September 22 (Bratislava time).

Professor Sun met with the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, Mr Samuel Migal', and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong is keenly interested in strengthening ties with the fast-growing Central and Eastern European region, including the Slovak Republic. The Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Research and Innovation, signed in April 2025 by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Slovak Republic Government, has laid an important institutional foundation. He looks forward to enhancing collaboration of enterprises, start-ups, higher education institutions, and research institutes in both places. He was briefed on the Slovak development in AI and smart city. The Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Hong Kong, Mr Willy Lin, also attended the meeting.

Professor Sun then met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency, Mr Egon Zorad, to learn about the Agency's professional services in promoting investments and invite Slovak enterprises to establish operations in Hong Kong. Under the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic, the Agency is Slovakia's national agency responsible for promoting foreign investments and handling foreign business affairs, tasked with attracting foreign investments, promoting foreign trade, and assisting the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises.

On September 23, Professor Sun met with the State Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy of the Slovak Republic, Ms Alena Sabelová, to learn about the latest development of Slovakia in innovation and technology (I&T) areas including AI and robotics industry, start-ups ecosystem and traditional industry and the relevant policies. Professor Sun said that Hong Kong, with unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, serves as an important gateway connecting the world and the Chinese Mainland and is striving to develop into an international I&T centre. He said that there is an immense opportunity for collaboration between Hong Kong and Slovakia. Following the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Research and Innovation between the two governments, Professor Sun expects the enhanced exchanges between scientific research institutes, scientific and technological talent and enterprises in both places, and the promotion of co-operation in scientific research and innovation as well as the transfer of technology and innovation outcomes, thereby contributing to the high-quality development of the two places.

Professor Sun then visited the Slovak National Innovation and Technology Centre, which was converted from a large shopping outlet. Professor Sun learned about the centre's efforts in combining the strengths of the Government, academia and research institutions as well as the industry to promote technology transfer, industrial innovation and commercial applications, with a focus on sustainable growth and production process modernisation. The centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Productivity Council in September 2025 to forge closer ties in I&T development, while facilitating talent nurturing and enterprises to go global.

In the afternoon, Professor Sun visited the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, which is the country's leading modern research university dedicated to technical, engineering, and architectural disciplines. He was briefed about the university's industrial partnerships, intellectual property commercialisation, technology transfer ecosystems, and strategic institutional development projects.

Professor Sun also visited Innovatrics to learn about its latest research and development technologies and business development. Headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, Innovatrics is an independent, European-based provider of trusted biometric identity management solutions.

After concluding his visit that day, Professor Sun proceeded to Vienna, Austria, in the late afternoon to continue his visit.

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (first left), visited the laboratory at Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava on September 23 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (fourth right), visited the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava on September 23 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (centre), visited Innovatrics to learn about its latest research and development technologies and business development in Bratislava on September 23 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (third left), visited the Slovak National Innovation and Technology Centre on September 23 (Bratislava time). The centre was converted from a large shopping outlet. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (third right), visited the Slovak National Innovation and Technology Centre on September 23 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (third left), met with the State Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy of the Slovak Republic, Ms Alena Sabelová (second right), on September 23 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (left), met with the State Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister for the Recovery Plan and Knowledge Economy of the Slovak Republic, Ms Alena Sabelová (right), on September 23 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (second left), met with the Chief Executive Officer of the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency, Mr Egon Zorad (second right), on September 22 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (second right), met with the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, Mr Samuel Migal' (fourth left), on September 22 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong (left), met with the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, Mr Samuel Migal' (right), on September 22 (Bratislava time). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming male passenger was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and fined $1,000 by the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (November 12) for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted an incoming 29-year-old Mainland male passenger at Hong Kong International Airport on September 16 who arrived in Hong Kong from Tokyo, Japan, and seized 30 000 duty-not-paid cigarettes from his personal baggage, with an estimated market value of about $123,000 and a duty potential of about $99,000. The passenger was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys duty-not-paid cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette 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).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for importing duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases