Welcome remarks by SITI at LEAP East 2026 Opening Ceremony (English only)
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Your Excellency Minister Alswaha (Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia, Mr Abdullah Alswaha), Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to Hong Kong! It is my great pleasure to join all of you today for the LEAP East 2026 – the first time the LEAP technology conference is being held outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I would like to thank Your Excellency Minister Alswaha for extending LEAP from Saudi Arabia to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government is honoured to support this landmark international event.
Standing here today, I am reminded of my duty visit to Saudi Arabia in 2024 and the pleasant experience at LEAP in Riyadh, where the first ever Hong Kong Pavilion was set up there. My visit was of course very impressive. It set in motion the new chapter for the innovation and technology (I&T) collaboration between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia.
Today, as we are hosting LEAP East in Hong Kong, we are delighted to welcome over 340 speakers, 450 exhibitors, over 400 investors, and over 35 000 visitors from 30 countries and regions, together strong participation from 14 provinces and cities from the Chinese Mainland. Don't forget this is the first time the LEAP organises technology conference outside the Saudi Arabia. This international gathering reflects the rising global I&T momentum, and Hong Kong is proud to serve as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" for international exchanges.
Guided by the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint promulgated in 2022, we are now building a comprehensive I&T ecosystem with strategic focus on life and health technologies, AI and robotics, as well as advanced manufacturing and energy and so on. Our vision remains very clear – to develop Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. Now please allow me to update you on Hong Kong's latest I&T scene.
Being home to five of the world's top 100 universities, Hong Kong is internationalised with strong R&D (research and development) capabilities. Our flagship InnoHK research platform now has supported 38 laboratories in collaboration with more than 30 world-renowned universities and research institutes from 12 economies, in collaboration with many research scientists from different parts of the world. Now the research laboratories have put together over 3 000 international talents. The laboratories focus on several important areas in addition to life and health technologies, robotics and AI. The new laboratories has recently expanded to sustainable development, advanced manufacturing, energy and materials. We welcome the top universities and research institutes from Saudi Arabia and around the world to join us on this meaningful journey.
Our digital infrastructure is also advancing rapidly to support future AI growth. In addition to Cyberport's AI Supercomputing Centre, which I mentioned at LEAP 2024, the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster under construction now will provide computing power of 180,000 PFLOPS around 2032, a thirty-six-fold increase that will position Hong Kong as an international data hub.
At the same time, Hong Kong's strategic innovation platforms are taking shape. The Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone opened last December, together with its extension, San Tin Technopole, are integral pillars of our nation's overarching strategy to build a self-reliant, world-class innovation and technology ecosystem.
The HKSAR Government's commitment to I&T is further demonstrated through funding support, including three so-called HK$10 billion funding initiatives, more than USD3.8 billion in total. These include the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme to accelerate commercialisation of R&D outcomes; the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme to support smart production facilities; and the I&T Industry-Oriented Fund, a fund-of-funds to channel more market capital into the emerging strategic industries.
Our efforts are bearing fruit. The number of start-ups in Hong Kong has surged by 40 per cent since 2021, reaching 5 200 in 2025. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster, ranked first globally in the Global Innovation Index 2025. Hong Kong ranked fourth globally in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2025, and what is more, ranked second globally in the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2026.
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has opened extraordinary opportunities for technological development, digital transformation, and new industries. Under "one country, two systems", Hong Kong enjoys the unparalleled advantages of strong support from our Motherland while remaining closely connected to the world. We are the ideal gateway for Mainland enterprises to go global, and for overseas, including Saudi Arabian, Middle East enterprises to venture into the GBA (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area) and the boarder Mainland market. With our global network, pivotal role in the Belt and Road Initiative, and position within the GBA's 88-million-population market, Hong Kong is uniquely placed to support overseas companies seeking global collaboration, R&D collaboration, and access to Chinese and Asian markets. Indeed, in the past several years, we have facilitated nearly 700, leading or high-potential I&T enterprises to establish or expand their presence in Hong Kong.
Ladies and gentlemen, innovation is ultimately creating meaningful value and contributing to the betterment of humankind. Hong Kong stands ready to work with partners from Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and around the world to build new bridges and shape a sustainable, innovative future. I invite you to experience our vibrant I&T ecosystem and explore the opportunities that await. Hong Kong offers inspiration at every hour, and I hope you will feel it throughout your stay in Hong Kong.
Finally, may I wish LEAP East every success. I wish we work together, leap forward, and make significant strides together. Thank you very much.
Ends/Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Issued at HKT 13:34
Issued at HKT 13:34
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