HONG KONG – Hong Kong will set up China's first national manufacturing innovation center outside the Chinese mainland, a senior official of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said on Tuesday.

The center aims to facilitate breakthroughs in key technologies, advance the commercialization of technological achievements, and bring together international talent, said Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry.

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Sun said the initiative will align with the national planning priorities for technologies and industries, and leverage the unique advantages of Hong Kong's existing semiconductor ecosystem.

He made the remarks at a ceremony where an agreement was signed by the HKSAR government and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to jointly advance the establishment of a manufacturing innovation center. MIIT Vice-Minister Xiong Jijun also attended the ceremony.

Before the ceremony, both sides held detailed discussions on how Hong Kong can better align with the national new industrialization development plan, coordinate with Chinese mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and integrate into and serve the building of the national modern industrial system.