Chen Siqi

vankochensq@163.com

THE Hong Kong Science Park Shenzhen Branch was officially inaugurated at the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone on Thursday, the first Hong Kong-run science park on the mainland.

Sixteen Hong Kong enterprises and institutes announced the establishment of their offices at the branch at an inaugural ceremony. The ceremony was attended by nearly 100 academicians, experts and industry leaders, and government officials from the two cities, including Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong and Hong Kong Chief Executive Lee Ka-chiu.

Jointly invested by Shenzhen and Hong Kong governments, the branch, also known as the Shenzhen branch of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP), is HKSTP’s first branch on the mainland and operates under internationally recognized regulations, while enjoying policies jointly formulated by Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

“The Shenzhen branch of HKSTP will play a vital role in advancing the integration of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, fully showcasing the innovation potential of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area [GBA],” Dr. Sunny Chai, chairman of HKSTP, said. He emphasized that this branch would serve as a bridge for promoting cross-border talent exchange, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Covering a total floor area of 30,000 sqm, the Shenzhen branch, encompassing two buildings, provides services in talent cultivation, global and domestic business exploration and financing, as well as incubation and resource matching in tech cooperation, manufacturing and supply chains. (Continued on P3)

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It focuses on medical, financial and sustainable development technologies, big data and artificial intelligence, new materials, robotics and microelectronics.

“We aim to leverage HKSTP’s 20-plus years’ experience in supporting innovative tech companies to help Hong Kong enterprises expand their market presence in the GBA and assist mainland companies in accessing global markets,” Peter Mok, HKSTP’s head of GBA, said.

The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd., an institute specializing in artificial intelligence, communication, the Internet of Things and integrated circuits, was among the first batch of institutes that set up offices in the Shenzhen branch. The company, founded in Hong Kong in 2000, aims to bring advanced technologies to companies in the GBA, by taking the cooperative advantages between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

“Our focus lies in the transformation of scientific research. By ensuring that technologies are effectively transformed into products, they can truly benefit enterprises. The Hetao zone provides an ideal gateway for us to tap into the GBA’s larger market, allowing us to apply and upgrade our products based on fundamental research in diverse scenarios,” David Chan, chief operating officer of the institute, said.

Another addition to the Shenzhen branch is the Asian Academy of Aging Research & Translational Medicine. Dr. Shelley Wang, standing vice chairman of the academy, said they were attracted by the facility’s favorable location and access to international talents.

Also on Thursday, the Shenzhen park of the Hetao zone signed cooperation agreements on 40 high-end scientific research projects. Covering diverse fields such as biomedicine, artificial intelligence, integrated circuits and communication, these projects further enhance the collaborative ecosystem in the zone.