Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the First Conference of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of Boao Forum for Asia in Macao on Nov 10, 2020. (PHOTO/HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
MACAO - Hong Kong will ramp up efforts to promote technology and innovation and deepen cooperation with the Chinese mainland to further reinforce its innovation drive, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Tuesday.
READ MORE: 5G propels Hong Kong into smart future
She made the remarks at the opening of The First Conference of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of Boao Forum for Asia, held in Macao.
The Hong Kong government has been attaching great importance to the development of technology and innovation, with billions of Hong Kong dollars being poured into the sector this year, Lam said.
Carrie Lam said the city will unveil an updated version of the blueprint for Hong Kong’s smart city development later this year with about 130 measures to consolidate the city’s foundation in the field
The capital has been used in eight areas, including research and development, talent, construction of technological infrastructure, provision of venture capital, education, etc, according to Lam.
The efforts have been effective, she said. For example, the number of personnel employed by Hong Kong startups has doubled in three years’ time, from roughly 6,000 in 2017 to 12,000 this year.
The local government and businesses have also used advanced technologies to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, by launching an Interactive Map Dashboard to inform the public of anti-pandemic information and using electronic bracelets to help with home quarantine, she added.
“These technological applications show the importance of an innovative way of life,” she said.
Lam also noted that the special administrative region is working hard to promote smart city development. It will unveil an updated version of the blueprint for Hong Kong’s smart city development later this year with about 130 measures to consolidate the city’s foundation in the field. The city first unveiled its smart city blueprint in 2017 with 76 measures.
ALSO READ: How HK can succeed in three data-related smart city trends
While thanking the central government for its support on promoting technology and innovation cooperation between Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, Lam said the SAR government will grasp the opportunity brought by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development and actively promote the city’s work on technology and innovation.
It will also deepen collaboration with other areas, especially with the Chinese mainland, to further stimulate the city’s innovation impetus so that residents in the Bay Area can enjoy a better life, she said.
