Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Wednesday extended a welcome to the Hangzhou Six Tigers tech companies — including DeepSeek, Game Science and Unitree Robotics — to expand into Hong Kong, as the city seeks to bolster its role as an international innovation and technology hub.
The invitation came on the second day of Lee’s four-day Zhejiang trip, which is aimed at fostering economic and technological cooperation.
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In a social media post, he detailed his visit to the Hangzhou Future Sci-Tech City Exhibition Hall on Wednesday morning, where he explored advancements in smart city development, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies.
A key focus was the “Hangzhou Six Tigers” — a group of high-growth tech firms making waves in cutting-edge sectors.
Among them is DeepSeek, an AI startup that developed a large-scale language model at a fraction of the usual cost.
Other members include robotics innovator Unitree, gaming developer Game Science, and brain-computer interface specialist BrainCo.
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After being briefed by company representatives on their plans to expand in Hong Kong, Lee thanked them for supporting Hong Kong’s I&T ambitions and highlighted the city’s strengths, including global connectivity, strong intellectual property protections, and a vibrant research environment.
“I welcome the ‘Hangzhou Six Tigers’ to set up operations in Hong Kong or expand their business there, as well as strengthen partnerships with local enterprises and institutions,” he wrote.
In a separate post, Lee also referred to his meetings with Han Bicheng, founder and CEO of BrainCo; and Wang Xingxing, Unitree’s founder.
BrainCo is known for its ambitions to help 1 million people with limb disabilities regain independence and improve their quality of life within the next five to 10 years. Meanwhile, Unitree gained attention for developing the humanoid robots showcased in a robotics dance performance at the 2025 Spring Festival Gala.
Lee noted that Han is aware of the Hong Kong’s unique advantages in bridging China with the world, particularly in education and scientific research, and said he is interested in expanding operations in the city.
He also noted that the HKSAR government purchased some of Unitree’s robots for testing and evaluation. These robots were deployed in a Hong Kong shopping mall in March, where they interacted with the public.
Lee said the HKSAR government will provide support to BrainCo and Unitree with expanding their presence in Hong Kong and globally, and added that the two companies will contribute to the city’s innovation and technology development.
Additionally, he praised Game Science for its blockbuster action role-playing game, Black Myth: Wukong, which he said is a testament to the mainland’s rapidly growing game production capabilities. He said the game highlights the appeal of Chinese mythological traditions while bridging Eastern and Western markets through compelling storytelling.
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“I look forward to enhanced innovation and technology collaboration between Zhejiang and Hong Kong enterprises in the future,” he said. “By leveraging our complementary strengths, we can jointly develop more ground-breaking ‘hit projects’ that showcase creative excellence.”
Lee also toured the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, observing AI-assisted clinical diagnostics, automated drug delivery systems, and robotic surgery technologies.
He praised the hospital’s progress in treating severe blood conditions and the efficiency gains from automation.
Lee reaffirmed Hong Kong’s commitment to tech-driven growth, pointing to initiatives in his 2024 Policy Address to accelerate investment in AI, semiconductors, and smart devices.
He also emphasized digital governance reforms, such as deploying AI for public services and administrative tasks.
“The ongoing AI revolution will gradually become part of our daily lives,” he wrote.
On Tuesday, after Lee arrived in Hangzhou, he said Hong Kong is set to ink deals with Zhejiang province across key sectors, including tech, amid rising geopolitical complexities. He visited Zhejiang University-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, a pioneering institution integrating material science, information technology, and life sciences. Later, he joined a banquet with Hong Kong residents and representatives of enterprises in Zhejiang.
