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At the Forum on "Joining Hands in Building an Innovative Nation" at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (May 21), more than 20 technology experts from the Mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao actively contributed their views on how to build an innovative nation.
Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau of the HKSAR, the forum was one of the major programmes to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. About 500 technology experts, academics from the universities and industrialists attended.
The Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Mr Luo Haocai, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
The Financial Secretary, Mr. Henry Tang, and the Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, Mr Li Gang, also officiated at the opening ceremony.
"With the theme of 'Joining hands in building an innovative nation', the forum gathered experts and academics from the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau to discuss issues relating to national innovation strategy and innovation system, the role of Hong Kong in the process of developing an innovative nation, and the ways to further promote regional and international technology co-operation," Mr Tang said.
"The forum also paves the way for further co-operation among Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, contributing to the technology development within the region.
"In response to the National 11th Five Year Plan, the HKSAR Government last September organised an Economic Summit on 'China's 11th Five-Year Plan and the Development of Hong Kong' to explore the opportunities and challenges arising from the 11th Five-Year Plan and the overall strategies Hong Kong should adopt in the economic development of China amid globalisation. A practical action agenda has been formulated as a response to the National 11th Five Year Plan.
"To implement the proposals in the action agenda of the Economic Summit, we will continue to actively promote talent and academic exchange as well as technical collaborations. We will also encourage research institutes and the industry to work together to create a win-win situation by complementing each other's strengths," Mr Tang said.
The Vice-Minister of Ministry of Science and Technology, Mr Cheng Jinpei, and the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, delivered keynote addresses on "Promoting autonomous innovation, building an innovative nation" and "Innovation and Technology Development in Hong Kong" respectively.
The forum comprised three plenary sessions to discuss issues relating to national innovation strategies and innovation system, technology exchanges within the region, as well as the technology trends and the application of innovative technologies by industries. Through the discussion, the forum aimed to contribute to the implementation of the roadmap set out in the nation's '11th Five-Year Plan' for the development of science and technology, i.e. promoting autonomous innovation, upgrading the overall high-tech capability and technology level of industries as well as the competitiveness of the nation.
The Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Lawrence J. Lau, the President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Professor Paul CW Chu, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, Mr Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, the Honorary President of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Dr Raymond Ch'ien Kuo-fung, and the Senior Vice-President, Strategic Marketing of Johnson Electric, Mr Jim Dick participated and addressed the plenary sessions.
The forum brought together leading figures in the region, including the Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Mr Xu Rigan, Vice-Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Song Hai, President of Nankai University, Professor Rao Zihe, as well as government officials, academics and industrialists from Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Suzhou, Guangdong and Shenzhen. Head of the Division of Technology and Economy, Kumintang Policy Foundation, Dr Steve Hsieh, and the President and CEO of DigiTimes, Mr Colley Hwang, from Taiwan also spoke at the forum; while Macau was represented by the President of Administrative Committee of Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao SAR, Mr Tong Chi-kin.
The forum, being one of the focuses of the Mainland and Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee in 2007, was jointly organised by the China Science and Technology Exchange Center and the Innovation and Technology Commission of the HKSAR. Established by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau of the HKSAR in 2004, the Co-operation Committee is responsible for strengthening technology co-operation and exchange between the Mainland and Hong Kong.
Ends/Monday, May 21, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:48
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