Hong Kong has many favorable conditions conducive to innovation development, so it can play an active role in supporting national technological development, a senior Hong Kong official said on Monday.

Visiting Beijing on Monday, Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology Joseph Wong said that strengthening co-operation in science and technology between Hong Kong and the Mainland will aid the nation's overall and long-term development strategies.

Wong was attending the third meeting of the Mainland-Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee at the Ministry of Science and Technology and he called on the Ministry of Commerce to discuss business and trade issues.

The committee discussed the mechanism for assessing applications for setting up state key laboratories in Hong Kong by local universities and research institutes.

The Innovation and Technology Commission will co-ordinate the application and vetting process, and liaise with government departments and related parties to draw up a list of recommendations to the Ministry of Science and Technology for consideration.

The committee also examined the preparatory work for the Innovation and Technology Forum and the Innovation Expo to be held in Hong Kong in May and September.

As nanotechnology and energy saving and environmental protection technologies are becoming increasingly important, the committee agreed to form working groups to enhance co-operation in these areas.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2007)