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Hong Kong's leading position as the springboard for technology companies to expand overseas has been further strengthened with the establishment of a regional office by NUCTECH Company Limited, a high-tech company that originally was established by Tsinghua University in Beijing. NUCTECH announced today (March 18) that it has selected Hong Kong for its first regional office outside of the Mainland.

NUCTECH is one of the world's largest suppliers of container inspection systems. It is a leader in research and development of X-ray inspection technology. The Hong Kong office will coordinate businesses with the company's overseas liaison offices and agencies around the world.

At today's opening ceremony, the Executive Vice President of NUCTECH and the Director of NUCTECH Hong Kong, Dr Chen Zhiqiang, said, "We will make the best of Hong Kong's advantages in every respect to further expand our overseas market. We firmly believe that NUCTECH will become one of the top high-tech companies in the world."

Awarded the "First Prize in Progression of National Technology 2003" by the Ministry of Science and Technology, NUCTECH has the largest professional X-ray inspection system manufacture base in the world. Founded in 1997, the company has been focusing on the development, manufacturing and marketing for civil security applications of nuclear technology and related new high-tech products. As a spin-off from Tsinghua University, the company is able to leverage the university's nuclear technology and scientific research as well as a pool of experts engaged in related R&D. Its inspection systems have been applied in different areas, including customs, aviation security inspection, industrial manufacturing, medical devices, environmental protection and food processing. The company's proprietary X-ray inspection system has been exported to near 20 markets, including Hong Kong.

The Managing Director of NUCTECH Hong Kong, Mr Li Zhijun, noted that, "As an open window of NUCTECH's global business development, NUCTECH HK will carry out its responsibilities of managing the overseas business and investment through Hong Kong's advantages in finance, trade, transportation and technology area. Relying on the talented people here, NUCTECH HK will gradually fulfill its functions of integrating the material supply chains and searching for new cooperation opportunities."

The Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr John Rutherford, officially welcomed the company's decision to come to Hong Kong. He said, "We are pleased to see another top technology company chose Hong Kong as a launch pad to expand overseas. Hong Kong offers unique advantages for potential Mainland companies who plan to develop business in the global arena - our geographical location, talented people with international exposure and established financial system - to name a few. NUCTECH's strategic decision also reflects their clear understanding of the benefits of doing business in Hong Kong."

The chief executives of Tsinghua University and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region attended the ceremony. They all expressed their warm congratulations on the establishment of NUCTECH HK.

Invest Hong Kong is the government department dedicated to attracting and retaining overseas investment to Hong Kong.

Ends/Thursday, March 18, 2004

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