Editor’s Note: In cooperation with www.sznews.com, Shenzhen Daily today opens a column focusing on the sci-tech innovation and development of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone (HTCZ).

Zhang Yu

JeniZhang13@163.com

THREE funds with a size of over 3 billion yuan (US$408.5 million) were unveiled at the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone on Friday, when the Venture Capital Day of Shenzhen activity was held for the first time at the zone.

The event was the first major one in a series held at the cooperation zone after the State Council released a plan to boost the high-quality development of the zone’s Shenzhen part.

The three funds introduced at the event are dedicated to fostering innovation in the fields of new generation information technology, new energy, and life and health within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Meanwhile, the event also witnessed the launch of a pilot program designed to establish a “green channel” for cross-border scientific research fund transfer in the cooperation zone that is jointly developed by Shenzhen and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The program, approved by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, aims to open up channels for the remittance of overseas scientific research funds, and facilitate foreign exchange businesses such as foreign exchange registration, remittance, change and cancellation by scientific research institutions.

Three major financial service platforms were introduced at the event, including a platform for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, a cross-border data circulation platform, and an industry-finance cooperation service platform.

The industry-finance cooperation service platform, a collaborative effort involving 12 financial institutions such as China Construction Bank, CITIC Securities and Nanyang Commercial Bank, is tailored to support scientific and technological innovation enterprises in the cooperation zone, with a total support fund of 200 billion yuan.

The event also featured four subvenues focusing on information science and technology, materials science and technology, life science and technology, as well as research projects from Hong Kong universities.

Multiple financial policies have been released to empower centralized cross-border fund operations, investment and financing in the cooperation zone.

Previously, the People’s Bank of China Shenzhen Branch and the Shenzhen Sub-bureau of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange issued pilot regulations, stating that the cooperation zone can centralize the operation and management of multinational companies’ cross-border funds in renminbi and foreign currencies on a trial basis.

The local financial supervisory authority Thursday released draft measures aimed at supporting mainland and Hong Kong venture capital in establishing joint pilot funds in the cooperation zone.