MORE Hong Kong manufacturers will become increasingly reliant on the abundant supply of scientists and engineers in China to carry out their research, according to chairman of the Productivity Council, James Tien.
Speaking at a Hong Kong Federation of Industries luncheon yesterday, Mr Tien said Hong Kong's development potential would be constrained by its limited supply of skilled labour.
Other constraints included insufficient investment in research and development (R&D) and a stagnant market in the West, he said.
However, these constraints might be partly removed if technological and economic co-operation with China continued to grow.
''There is a vast pool of scientists and engineers engaged in R&D in China and they form a powerful resource on which we can draw upon.'' said Mr Tien.
He cited software development in China as an example, saying that there were already many successful joint ventures that capitalised on local software programmers and engineers.