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)