Opening remarks by SITI at StartmeupHK Festival 2022 - The Connected Cities Conference (English only)
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Andrew (Regional Senior Partner of KPMG in Hong Kong and Vice Chairman of KPMG China, Mr Andrew Weir), Charles (Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion of Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), Mr Charles Ng), Jayne (Head of StartmeupHK at InvestHK , Ms Jayne Chan), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my honour to speak at the StartmeupHK Festival, particularly at the end of a week that has been bursting with creative innovation and cross-sector collaboration.
Today's "Connected Cities Conference" is a very appropriate name. Everything is connected in this world, be it by people or by things, and cities are no exception. In this era when we talk a lot about smart city, we are actually talking about how we connect people with technology and innovation. Furthermore, such a connection has to be future-proof. Without the mindset of developing a community in a sustainable way, such development shall never be considered to be smart. The rise of technology, innovation and collaboration has directly facilitated the connectivity aspects of smart cities worldwide, including Hong Kong.
Across the world, countries are undergoing rapid urbanisation. Strong population growth in cities has necessitated improved transportation scales, more sustainable urban planning, and better management of energy and resources. These improved connections are crucial for developed cities like Hong Kong to sustain a more liveable environment in the years to come.
Hong Kong is a tech-savvy city. Fast and wide adoption of first-rate mobile networks, AI (artificial intelligence) and Internet of Things in the city has made people and businesses more connected than ever. With the vigorous support of the sustainable tech sector behind us, I am confident that we, as a "connected city", will navigate any challenges with ease.
Since I took up the position of the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry two months ago, I had the pleasure of visiting many local institutions which nurture the sustainable development of innovation and technology of Hong Kong. I witnessed many R&D (research and development) efforts in developing green tech, AI, robotics and automotive technology, to name but a few. We have very excellent talents in the R&D field, and many creative entrepreneurs or startups, which are just a few steps to success. Being the policy maker, it is our duty to help speed up the commericalisation of their R&D fruits and turn their creative innovations into marketable products and services. For this purpose, the Government has set aside many resources, from incubation and acceleration programmes to shared facilities, government funding schemes, network opportunities and mentors, to assist startups to thrive. Universities and research institutes can also make use of our ITC (Innovation and Technology Commission)'s Innovation Hub@HK website, which was just launched last month, to showcase their R&D outcomes.
In addition to facilitating growth among local startups, Hong Kong always welcomes overseas investors to set foot in Hong Kong and further expand in the Mainland, in particular the GBA (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area) region, and the rest of Asia. We are happy to see that more and more international and Mainland tech companies and startups, with their initiatives that spark out-of-the-box thinking and cutting-edge inventions, choose Hong Kong as their destination to grow their business.
Building a more liveable smart city is one of the four major directions of this term of Government in the agenda of pushing ahead the I&T (innovation and technology) development of Hong Kong. We are devoted to develop Hong Kong into a smart city, thereby enabling our members of the public to perceive the convenience and improvements to their daily lives brought by the technological advancement. More new and specific initiatives on this front will be rolled out very soon and please do stay tuned.
By seizing the opportunities offered by the National 14th Five-Year Plan, we are determined to develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre. We expect to see more startups in Hong Kong working on information technology and technological innovations, GreenTech, AI, climate advocacy and sustainability. Many of them will also be evolving into incorporate environmental, social and governance policies. All of these endeavours can help us create a better and sustainable urban living.
Lastly, I would like to congratulate the organiser of the Festival, Invest Hong Kong, and all of the event organisers, sponsors and participants, on their amazing achievements. The Festival is widely recognised as one of the most significant startup events in the world, and the fact that we can host it in Hong Kong is a great mark of success.
Thank you all and I hope that you enjoy today's event filled with thought-provoking programmes. Have a nice day.
Ends/Friday, September 9, 2022
Issued at HKT 14:58
Issued at HKT 14:58
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