A total of 17 enterprises signed agreements on Monday to become strategic enterprise partners of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government amid the city's push to nurture an ecosystem for innovation and technology.

The enterprises are from industries such as life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, fintech, advanced manufacturing and new energy technology. Most of them will establish their global or regional headquarters in Hong Kong, said the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises of the HKSAR government.

The 17 firms and around 50 others brought in by the office earlier will invest about 42 billion Hong Kong dollars (5.4 billion U.S. dollars) in total over the coming years, creating over 17,000 jobs. They will also invite upstream, midstream, and downstream partners from their industry chains to Hong Kong.

"The HKSAR government has been building a symbiotic relationship with strategic enterprises," said Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan at Monday's signing ceremony.

Chan said the HKSAR government had more policies in the pipeline, which will benefit strategic enterprises and bolster Hong Kong's position as an attractive destination for more enterprises.

The policy address delivered by HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee in October pledged to increase investments in the innovation and technology sector, advance the development of the Northern Metropolis and expand collaboration with cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.