Park for innovation cooperation zone launched in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony for the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone was held here on Monday.

Speaking at the ceremony, John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said that the launch of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone is a milestone moment in Hong Kong's innovation and technology development.

In the future, Hong Kong will continue to drive forward the construction and development of the Hong Kong Park by optimizing institutional integration, strengthening policy support, actively attracting high-quality enterprises and world-class research teams, etc, Lee said, adding that he is confident that the Hetao Cooperation Zone will emerge as a bridgehead and testing ground for Hong Kong's I&T development.

Xu Qifang, executive deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, said that the official operation of the Hong Kong Park is another important achievement in the implementation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development plan, and a vivid demonstration of the institutional advantages of "one country, two systems."

Xu hoped that Hong Kong will proactively align with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, fully leverage the institutional advantages of "one country, two systems," make good use of the major cooperation platforms in Qianhai, Nansha and the Hetao Area, strengthen the coordination of industrial and supply chains with mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area, promote the construction of a science and technology innovation corridor, and jointly build an international science and technology innovation center with global influence.

The Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone is established under the vision of "one river, two banks" and "one zone, two parks." It consists of the 87-hectare Hong Kong Park and the 300-hectare Shenzhen Park. The Hetao Hong Kong Park is located in the Northern Metropolis, an area adjacent to the border with south China's tech hub Shenzhen.

According to the development outline for the cooperation zone promulgated by the HKSAR government in 2024, the Hetao Hong Kong park will focus on four major development directions, namely "to build a world-class industry-academia-research platform," "to establish an internationally competitive R&D (research and development) transformation and pilot production base for industries," "to foster a hub for pooling global innovation and technology resources," and "to cultivate a testing ground for institutional and policy innovation." ■