(25th Anniversary of Hong Kong's Return to China) Building an International Innovation and Technology Center How can Hong Kong and the Mainland complement each other?

  China News Agency, Hong Kong, June 29th: How can Hong Kong and the mainland complement each other in building an international innovation and technology center?

  China News Agency reporter Wan Shuyan

  In 2020, a research team from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong, led by Professor Lv Weiga and others, received 27.44 million yuan from the National Key R&D Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology to study 3D bioprinting of human tissues and organs.

  In the 25 years since the return of Hong Kong, the central government has launched a series of science and technology policies that benefit Hong Kong, such as expanding the opening of the national science and technology plan to Hong Kong, supporting the “crossing the river” of national scientific research funds, allowing young Hong Kong scholars to apply for the national youth science fund project, and improving large-scale instruments and equipment. Hong Kong's opening and sharing mechanism, etc., have increased support for the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong in terms of talents, funds, materials and other aspects.

  Professor Lui Weiga, who has worked in Hong Kong for nearly 30 years, has witnessed the accelerated pace of innovation and technology cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

He said, "The central government's policy of benefiting Hong Kong's science and technology can allow scientific research institutions in the two places to develop collaboratively, break down barriers to cooperation, and form synergy."

  The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has also achieved cross-border free flow of scientific research funds between the two places.

In 2019, the Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), led by Qian Peiyuan, head of the Department of Marine Science and Chair Professor of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, received a total of RMB 114 million from the Guangzhou Municipal Government for the first three years. The research fund supports a total of 62 projects, which are about to enter a five-year construction period.

  Qian Peiyuan told reporters that these funds will help the team to carry out cutting-edge marine science and technology research, and help the marine ecological environment protection and marine industry development in the Greater Bay Area.

He also hopes to cultivate more scientific research talents for the country through international cooperation and build the laboratory into a window for foreign cooperation.

  I&T has become a new engine for Hong Kong's economic development.

In recent years, the Hong Kong SAR government has taken a series of measures to build a complete I&T ecosystem and promote I&T development by promoting R&D, supporting start-ups, nurturing and gathering I&T talents, and optimizing infrastructure facilities.

  Since its launch, the "InnoHK Innovation Hong Kong R&D Platform" has received positive responses from many top universities and scientific research institutions around the world, and a total of 28 R&D laboratories have been selected for entry.

  One of them is the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Innovation Center of the Hong Kong Institute of Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Zhang Zhaoxiang, executive director of the center, said that the center has carried out in-depth cooperation and talent exchanges with local universities and scientific research institutions in Hong Kong, and is committed to jointly promoting artificial intelligence and robotics research. Incremental effect, and promote scientific research results to better serve Hong Kong.

  In recent years, the pace of innovation and technology collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland has accelerated. How to promote higher-level cooperation between the two places in the future?

  First of all, to get through the "resource gate".

Zhang Zhaoxiang believes that more collaborative innovation mechanisms for long-term cooperation can be established, and the system and rules of the two places can be better connected, thereby accelerating the sharing of innovation elements such as technology, talents, capital, and equipment.

  Second, we must take good care of "talents".

Lv Weiga suggested that it is necessary to further promote the facilitation of personnel exchanges, so as to improve the efficiency of cooperation between the two places.

At the same time, it will further leverage Hong Kong's international advantages, attract more international talents, and enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong's innovation and technology.

  Third, we must unblock the "transformation gate".

Lu Weijia said that it is necessary to give full play to the synergy effect of the Greater Bay Area, increase the transformation of scientific research achievements in the region, open up the certification systems of technology and products in Hong Kong and the mainland, and expand the international market at the same time.

  "Hong Kong and the Mainland have their own advantages in the field of innovation and technology, as well as their own shortcomings and shortcomings, and there is a lot of room for synergy and complementarity." In Zhang Zhaoxiang's view, Hong Kong has an international vision, strong basic research strength, and a large number of international talents. The system can also provide support for the development of innovation and technology; the mainland has advantages such as scientific research volume, project volume, market volume, etc. The two places can integrate resources, collaborate in innovation, take a global view, and build Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology center. Better integrated into the overall situation of national development.

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