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Abstract:
The Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, today (April 16) began his visit programme in Beijing. He attended the third meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee at the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST) and called on the Ministry of Commerce to discuss with relevant officials business and trade issues of mutual concern.

SCIT begins visit to Beijing

Hong Kong | Posted on April 17th, 2007

The Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology, Mr Joseph W P Wong, today ( April 16 ) began his visit programme in Beijing. He attended the third meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee at the Ministry of Science and Technology ( MST ) and called on the Ministry of Commerce to discuss with relevant officials business and trade issues of mutual concern.

In the meeting, the two sides concluded the work of the committee in the past year and noted that good progress had been made in fostering technology co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong. The meeting also discussed future work directions and plans.

"Hong Kong possesses many favourable conditions that are conducive to the development of innovation and technology and can play an active role in supporting national technological development. Strengthening co-operation in science and technology between Hong Kong and the Mainland is completely in line with the nation's overall and long-term development strategies," Mr Wong said.

The committee discussed the mechanism for assessing applications for setting up state key laboratories in Hong Kong by local universities and research institutes. The Innovation and Technology Commission ( ITC ) would co-ordinate the application and vetting process, and liaise with relevant government departments and related parties, including the Education and Manpower Bureau and the Research Grants Council, to consider the applications with a view to drawing up a list of recommendations to MST for consideration.

The State Key Laboratories Programme was launched in 1984. The organisations hosting the laboratories should possess a team of high quality researchers and excellent environment for technological researches. Universities in Hong Kong have expressed interest in joining the programme.

The committee also examined the preparatory work for the Innovation & Technology Forum and the Innovation Expo to promote technology exchange.

Co-organised by MST and the Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau, the Innovation and Technology Forum, with the theme "Working Together to Build an Innovative Nation", will be held in Hong Kong in May. Experts, academics and industrialists from the Mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao will be invited to the forum to discuss the nation's innovation strategy and innovation system as well as to explore innovation and technological collaborations at regional and international levels. In addition, MST will support the Innovation Expo to be held in September this year in Hong Kong and will encourage relevant Mainland organisations to participate in the Expo.

As nanotechnology and energy saving and environmental protection technologies are becoming increasingly important, the committee agreed to set up working groups to enhance co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong in these areas.

Established in 2004, the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee is co-chaired by the Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology and the Vice-Minister of the MST. Comprising senior representatives from bureaus, ministries and organisations responsible for technology development on both sides, the committee is responsible for organising and co-ordinating technology exchange and collaboration activities between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Mainland members attending the meeting came from the MST, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of State Council, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in HKSAR, the National Office of Science and Technology Awards, the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai, the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Shenzhen Bureau of Science, Technology and Information. The Hong Kong side comprised representatives from the ITC, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Department of Health, the Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Hong Kong R&D Centre for Logistics and Supply Chain Management Enabling Technologies, the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited, the Hong Kong Automotive Parts and Accessory Systems R&D Centre, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine and the Office of the Government of the HKSAR in Beijing.

Mr Wong called on the Ministry of Commerce this afternoon and met the Minister of Commerce, Mr Bo Xilai and the Vice-Minister of Commerce, Mr Yi Xiao-zhun. Both sides exchanged views on a number of business and trade issues, including further liberalisation measures under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, the policies on processing trade in the Mainland and the impact of ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement on Hong Kong's trade.

Mr Wong also paid a courtesy call to the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.