Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong speaks on May 9, 2023. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHIAN DAILY)

Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong has pledged to turn the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Cooperation Zone into “a world-class innovation platform” by facilitating the seamless cross-border flow of information, capital, talents and materials. 

The technology chief co-chaired the 10th meeting of the Joint Task Force on the Development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop with Wang Shourui, vice-mayor of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, in Hong Kong on Thursday.

Representatives from the Hong Kong Civil Engineering and Development Department introduced the latest progress of the supporting infrastructure in the Loop

Sun promised to implement policies that will promote the smooth flow of cross-border resources including talents, materials, capital and information, in a bid to enable the cooperation zone to “serve as the bridgehead for intensive innovation and technology cooperation between the two places”.

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He said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will leverage its unique advantages as a super-connector to help Shenzhen connect to the rest of the world. 

The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Cooperation Zone comprises two parts – the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park and the Shenzhen Park, with former spanning 0.87 square kilometers located on the southern bank of the Shenzhen River and the latter occupying 3.02 square kilometers on the northern bank.

During the meeting, staff from the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Ltd summarised he progress of IT cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and the construction of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park. 

Representatives from the Hong Kong Civil Engineering and Development Department introduced the latest progress of the supporting infrastructure in the Loop, while Shenzhen officials related the developments of the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone. 

READ MORE: Shenzhen-Hong Kong sci-tech zone set to promote innovation

Both sides exchanged views on the future development of the cooperation zone, as well as possible cross-border measures that could be implemented in the Loop. 

The meeting took place following the central government’s release of the development blueprint for the Shenzhen Park of the cooperation zone on Aug 29.

The blueprint outlined four key tasks for the zone: working with Hong Kong to promote international scientific and technological innovation and to build a world-class scientific and technological platform; establishing industrial pilot bases to advance the new generation of information technology and biomedicine; creating an international mechanism for scientific and technological innovation to facilitate cross-border flows of personnel, capital and data; and constructing a global platform for science and technology cooperation and for strengthening international exchanges and talent training.

Contact the writer at tianyuanzhang@chinadailyhk.com