The public consultation exercise for the 2021 Policy Address was launched on July 6. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (July 15) held the first consultation session at Government House to listen to the views of stakeholders on the upcoming Policy Address in respect of health technology. The session was attended by the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; and officials from the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, the Education Bureau, Invest Hong Kong and the Department of Health. Also participating in the session were more than 30 stakeholders, consisting of a Legislative Council member, scientists and a university president together with representatives from a faculty of medicine, scientific research institutions, private hospitals and venture capital funds, as well as the Hospital Authority, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited.

     Mrs Lam said after the two-hour or so consultation session that she had held very meaningful exchanges of views with the stakeholders. She pointed out that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has all along been pressing ahead with the development of innovation and technology (I&T) in the city, with innovative healthcare and health technology being one of the focus areas. She noted that the COVID-19 anti-epidemic work has highlighted the importance of the application of I&T and that health technology should be widely used in society to meet the various challenges arising from the ageing population. She added that Hong Kong has good prospects in developing health technology and exploring the immense business opportunities. She expressed her gratitude to the stakeholders for their participation and views and said that she would consider in full their opinions while she formulates the Policy Address.

     Mrs Lam will continue to hold some 30 other consultation sessions via physical meetings or video conferencing in the coming two months. Areas to be covered range from people's livelihoods and welfare, finance, commerce and trade, aviation, legal services, I&T, education and labour to land and housing, medical and health services, sports, arts and culture and sustainable development. She will also meet with specific groups and representatives as well as members of the public to listen to their views on various topics.
 

Ends/Thursday, July 15, 2021
Issued at HKT 18:57

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