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Ninth meeting of Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee held (with photos)
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     The ninth meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee was held in Qingdao today (September 11).

     The meeting was co-chaired by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, and the Vice-Minister of Science and Technology of the Central People's Government, Dr Cao Jianlin.

     Mr So said, "Science and technology co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong is progressing well, particularly in promoting the establishment of Hong Kong Branches of Chinese National Engineering Research Centres (CNERCs), Partner State Key Laboratories (PSKLs) in Hong Kong, and technology co-operation in the modern services industry with Hong Kong Science Park."

     "As regards the establishment of new Hong Kong Branches of CNERCs, the objective of CNERCs is to provide engineering research and consultancy support to the industries and enhance the transformation of technology achievements for productivity. Hong Kong Branches of CNERCs aim at fully utilising Hong Kong's advantages in science and technological resources to promote the technological advancement of Mainland industries and the upgrading of Hong Kong industries, as well as enhancing overall competitiveness. At the ninth meeting, the schedule of the selection exercise for applications for the establishment of Hong Kong branches of CNERCs was endorsed. The recommendation list is expected to be ready in mid-2015 for submission to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) for consideration."

     The MOST approved in 2012 the establishment of the first Hong Kong Branch of the National Engineering Research Centre for Application Specific Integrated Circuit System by the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) on a pilot basis. The first round of the application exercise for the establishment of Hong Kong Branches of CNERCs was launched in February this year. A total of 28 applications were submitted by universities and research institutions in Hong Kong. The assessment work is now being conducted. To support the development of the Hong Kong Branches of CNERCs, the Innovation and Technology Fund of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is providing funding of a total of $15 million to each Hong Kong Branch of CNERCs for a period of three years starting from the 2013-14 financial year.

     The Committee agreed that the first round of reassessment on PSKLs should be conducted in 2016. The 12 PSKLs established in 2010 or before will be subject to reassessment to ensure that their leading positions in their respective scientific research areas are maintained. At present, there are 16 PSKLs in Hong Kong, of which 12 were approved by the MOST in 2012 or before, and the other four were approved in 2013.

     The Committee also agreed to continue its support for promoting collaboration between science and technology parks on the two sides, including the MOST's approval for the establishment of the Hong Kong National High-tech Industrialisation (Partner) Base for Integrated Circuits by Hong Kong Science Park.

     Mainland members attending the meeting came from the MOST, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the China Association for Science and Technology, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology, the Science and Technology Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality, the Department of Science and Technology of Shandong Province and the Qingdao Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

     The Hong Kong side comprised representatives from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Commission, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation, the Hong Kong Productivity Council, ASTRI, the Hong Kong Automotive Parts and Accessory Systems R&D Centre, the Hong Kong R&D Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management Enabling Technologies, the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel, and the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited.

Ends/Thursday, September 11, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:09

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