Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology (I&T) Park Partnership Launching Ceremony today (April 18):

Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, Acting Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, distinguished guests, representatives of our Partnership enterprises, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to join you all at today's Hong Kong-Shenzhen I&T Park (HSITP) Partnership Launching Ceremony. First of all, I would like to congratulate the HSITP Limited for bringing together such a big group of valued partners.
      
     To grow the innovation and technology sector, we need a vibrant ecosystem supported by a close collaboration between various sectors. This is the prefect reason to explain the diverse representation here today. Among the some 60 companies or organisations, we have representatives from the industry, academia and R&D (research and development) institutions, as well as the investment sector. About a quarter of companies are from overseas, including the United States, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, Thailand and Singapore. Twenty-four companies are new to set their footprint or expand business in Hong Kong. This diverse portfolio highlights Hong Kong's unique advantage as an international city. Also, today's partnership casts a big vote of confidence in the development of the HSITP, as well as Hong Kong's I&T development.
      
     Being home to five world's top 100 universities, and numerous world-class experts and scholars, Hong Kong has access to the best resources available, forming a solid foundation and network for our journey to become an international I&T centre. To realise this goal, fostering collaborative efforts from the Government, industry, academic, research and investment sectors is of utmost importance for all of us. I am delighted to witness the ceremony today which signifies the collective efforts from all of us towards achieving our shared vision.
      
     The HSITP, also known as the Hong Kong Park of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone, will be developed in two phases from west to east. The first three buildings under batch one of phase one are scheduled for completion progressively from the end of 2024 onwards. The Government will continue to support the growth and development of the Hong Kong Park, and an overarching document on its development is targeted to be released within this year.
      
     As the Chief Executive just mentioned, the HSITP will become our most strategic and important I&T platform that transcends beyond our boundary with the Mainland. Under the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint promulgated in December 2022, one of our key development strategies is to consolidate Hong Kong's role as a bridge connecting Mainland China and the rest of the world. Today's ceremony is one of our key milestones and I can say it is just a beginning. More and more good news is coming.

     Ladies and gentlemen, today is a big day for the HSITP and certainly for the Hong Kong's I&T development. I sincerely wish a flourishing I&T partnership and collaboration in the HSITP, and all of you the best of health and business in the year to come. Thank you very much.

Ends/Thursday, April 18, 2024
Issued at HKT 12:55

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