Hong Kong official hails Zhejiang University forum as boost for tech ties
Hong Kong's innovation and technology bureau permanent secretary spoke at the Zhejiang University tech forum, highlighting the city's five-year plan, three tech parks, five R&D institutes, and a HK$10 billion fund to build a global innovation hub by 2030.
The Permanent Secretary of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau on Thursday addressed the Hong Kong 2026 Zhejiang University Science and Technology Innovation Forum, praising the event as a deepening of collaboration between Hangzhou and Hong Kong in science and technology.
In his speech, the official noted that the central government's 15th Five-Year Plan places science and technology innovation at the core of national development and explicitly supports Hong Kong in becoming an international innovation and technology centre. He said the Hong Kong government published its first five-year plan in September, elevating innovation and technology to a core strategic level to guide the city's high-quality development, with the goal of establishing a global innovation hub rooted in the Greater Bay Area and radiating across the nation and the world by 2030.
Hong Kong is accelerating the development of three major innovation and technology parks and five research institutes, the official said. He highlighted the Hong Kong-Shenzhen innovation park in the Lok Ma Chau loop and San Tin science city in the Northern Metropolis, which together will form a full industrial ecosystem covering upstream research, midstream piloting, and downstream production. He noted that Hong Kong already hosts 15 state key laboratories and over 30 InnoHK research centres, and will launch a HK$10 billion Innovation and Technology Industry Guidance Fund this year to support tech enterprises.
The forum featured 30 project roadshows and more than 60 outstanding projects, showcasing Zhejiang University's strengths in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. The official welcomed the university's top research teams and high-quality enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's innovation ecosystem and its unique advantages under 'one country, two systems' to accelerate the global reach of cutting-edge technologies.
He also expressed gratitude to Zhejiang University's Hong Kong alumni association, which has over 5,000 alumni in the city. The association has evolved from organising social gatherings to setting up a talent committee in 2023 and now hosting the forum to help Zhejiang University projects land in Hong Kong. The official described the association as 'a fire when gathered, stars when scattered', injecting valuable momentum into Hong Kong's development.