The Government promulgated the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint today (December 22) to establish a clear development path and formulate systematic strategic planning for Hong Kong's innovation and technology (I&T) development over the next five to 10 years, charting Hong Kong in moving full steam towards the vision of an international I&T centre.
 
     The Chief Executive proposed in this year's Policy Address to dovetail with the National 14th Five-Year Plan and develop Hong Kong into an international I&T centre at full speed. The Government has formulated the Blueprint from the perspective of top-level planning and design, and will take forward the Blueprint under four broad development directions, namely "to enhance the I&T ecosystem and promote 'new industrialisation' in Hong Kong"; "to enlarge the I&T talent pool to create strong impetus for growth"; "to promote digital economy development and develop Hong Kong into a smart city"; and "to proactively integrate into the overall development of the country and consolidate our role as a bridge connecting the Mainland and the world".
 
     The Blueprint sets out eight major strategies under the four broad development directions, which are:
 
 (1) To enhance the I&T ecosystem and promote interactive development of the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors

• To strengthen support to universities' basic research activities and facilities
• To step up efforts to incentivise the transformation and realisation of research and development (R&D) outcomes
• To implement specific facilitation policies on technology industries and support technology industries with an edge to develop in Hong Kong

 
 (2) To promote technology industry development and achieve "new industrialisation" in Hong Kong

• To increase I&T land supply and upgrade supporting infrastructure
• To bring in top-notch enterprises
• To strengthen support for strategic industries
• To achieve internationalisation
• To promote R&D in technology

 
 (3) To diversify venture financing channels and support the development of start-ups and industries

• To enhance the operation of the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund
• To optimise the existing listing regime
• To strengthen support to the development of start-ups in Hong Kong
• To make good use of the Co-Investment Fund
• To actively support the development of strategic technology industries through the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited
• To attract more foreign capital to invest in local I&T industries
• To strengthen investment linkage and co-operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen

 
 (4) To promote I&T culture for all and enhance the overall I&T atmosphere in the community

• To provide support through various subsidy schemes to organising activities which help foster the I&T atmosphere
• To promote popularisation of I&T at different levels of the society by organising and strengthening the publicity and promotion of activities
• To enhance co-operation with various sectors and district organisations in the community
• To promote community-wide engagement in major I&T events
• To promote science education for all by making use of science-related exhibition venues

 
 (5) To enrich I&T talent resources and develop an international talent hub

• To encourage universities to offer more I&T-related programmes
• To further promote I&T-related education in schools
• To proactively attract top-notch Mainland and overseas I&T talent
• To step up efforts to attract Hong Kong people studying overseas to return to Hong Kong
• To step up efforts to recruit Mainland and overseas young research talent
• To strengthen support to young scientific research scholars
• To enhance accommodation support to I&T talent
• To foster a sense of belonging among I&T talent

 
 (6) To accelerate the development of digital economy and smart city to enhance citizens' quality of life

• To expedite the building of a smart government to enhance the efficiency of government services
• To facilitate spatial data applications
• To accelerate the development of new digital infrastructure
• To expand the application of I&T to promote smart living
• To accelerate the development of financial technology
• To build a secure cyber environment

 
 (7) To deepen I&T co-operation with the Mainland for better integration into the overall national development

• To explore with relevant Mainland authorities on more facilitation measures to promote the convenient cross-boundary flow of innovation elements
• To forge ahead with the development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop
• To enhance the I&T ecological chain by making optimal use of the two major platforms of co-operation with Nansha of Guangzhou and Qianhai of Shenzhen
• To strengthen interaction with the national institutional set-up for innovation
• To enhance I&T co-operation with different provinces and municipalities

 
 (8) To leverage Hong Kong's advantages as an international city to foster global I&T collaboration

• To strengthen the role as a bridge connecting the Mainland and the world
• To actively expand the global network
• To strengthen support for initiating I&T co-operation overseas

 
     The Blueprint also sets out the macro I&T development targets for Hong Kong in the next five to 10 years which cover reference development indicators over four areas, namely R&D, startups, talent and industry development, to facilitate the review of the implementation of the Blueprint.
 
     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said, "The Blueprint is a systematic and comprehensive document for Hong Kong's I&T development put forward by the Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government after many years. It is also a forward-looking and strategic plan.
 
     "The SAR Government will adhere to the philosophy of being 'result-oriented' to develop Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. It will also hope to continuously listen to the opinions from different sectors of the society to enable the formulation of suitable policies and support measures, with a view to leading Hong Kong to realise its vision as an international I&T centre and living up to the support and great expectation of our country placed on the I&T development in Hong Kong."

     The Government will also set up the new Committee on Innovation and Technology Industry Development to advise on strategic development issues under the Blueprint, with a view to enhancing the co-operation among stakeholders, and to reviewing the progress of the implementation of the Blueprint. The Committee will be chaired by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry and will replace the existing Committee on Innovation, Technology and Re-industrialisation. The membership will be announced later.
 
     The Blueprint has been uploaded to the website of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau (www.itib.gov.hk/en/index.html).

Ends/Thursday, December 22, 2022
Issued at HKT 15:53

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