The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, began his visit to Budapest, Hungary, on September 21 (Budapest time). The visit aims to further deepen exchange and collaboration between Hong Kong and Hungary in innovation and technology (I&T).

     In the morning, Professor Sun met with the Minister of Science and Technology of Hungary, Mr Zoltán Tanács, and the State Secretary for Science Policy and Innovation, Dr Péter Horváth, in Budapest. He reaffirmed Hong Kong's commitment to developing into an international I&T centre, noting that tangible progress is already underway, including efforts in industry development, start-up nurturing, commercialisation of research and development (R&D) outcomes, as well as attracting enterprises and talent. He expressed a view to deepening collaboration with Hungary in these fields.

     Professor Sun proceeded to Szeged to visit the Center for Molecular Fingerprinting (CMF) in the afternoon. Accompanied by Dr Horváth, Professor Sun received a briefing from the founder of the CMF and a Nobel Laureate in Physics, Professor Ferenc Krausz, on H4H Program - a longitudinal health monitoring study spearheaded by the CMF to promote personalised preventive healthcare. The CMF is an interdisciplinary non-profit research institute dedicated to developing infrared electric-field molecular fingerprinting technology for the early detection of diseases. Professor Krausz also introduced the launch of a global initiative "protecting.health", which will continue to promote scientific collaboration among the CMF, the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich and the University of Hong Kong, and will carry out research projects in Hong Kong. Professor Sun also toured the laser laboratory and biobank of the Extreme Light Infrastructure Attosecond Light Pulse Source Research Institute at the CMF.

     In the evening, Professor Sun called on the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Hungary, Mr Gong Tao, and briefed him on the newly released First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030), which reaffirms Hong Kong's strategic positioning as an international I&T centre, as well as I&T initiatives in the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address. He pointed out that under the National 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will actively expand co-operation opportunities with international I&T partners, including Hungary, to continuously enhance its innovation capabilities and international competitiveness.

     On September 22 (Budapest time), Professor Sun visited the Corvinus University of Budapest in the morning and met with the President and Rector of the University, Professor Bruno van Pottelsberghe, to learn about the latest development of the University. He is particularly interested in the University's teaching approach in incorporating business strategy, AI, data science and digital transformation. He understood that the University and the Shenzhen Research Institute of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) had jointly established a research and innovation platform "Academic & Innovation Matrix". The University signed a co-operation agreement with the InnoHK Centre for Perceptual and Interactive Intelligence of the CUHK in March this year to launch a bilateral research project. Funded by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office, the project seeks to enhance the safety and trustworthiness of AI architecture to cope with real-world applications. 

     Professor Sun also visited BrainVisionCenter to learn about its latest developments and R&D achievements, and toured its laboratory. The Center focuses on research and product development in neurophotonics and functional neuroimaging. Professor Sun welcomed the Center to further strengthen co-operation with the academic and research institutions in Hong Kong to advance translational medicine therapies.

     Professor Sun concluded his visit to Budapest at noon on September 22 (Budapest time) and proceeded to Bratislava, Slovakia, in the afternoon to begin his programme.

Ends/Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Issued at HKT 21:18

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