Hong Kong researchers barred from doing China's military-related research

Despite Hong Kong's status as a key research centre for the nation, the city's scientists are still barred from many projects deemed sensitive by Beijing, mainland officials say.

Collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland research groups has increased since the handover, largely through a system known as State Key Laboratories. The scheme comprises university and private laboratories which receive administrative and financial support from the central government, including lucrative state contracts.

Hong Kong had 16 such laboratories last year, up from two in 2005, out of a total of about 200 across the nation.

The Hong Kong laboratories must partner with an institute on the mainland, some of which are involved in defence research projects. The arrangement raises questions about whether Hong Kong scientists are contributing to the advancement of the nation's military technology.

Cao Guoying , deputy director of fundamental research at the Ministry of Science and Technology, said that was not the case.

Most of the laboratories' funding came from the Hong Kong government, according to local scientists. Cao said the central government provided about 140 million yuan (HK$179 million) last year for work on several research projects.