Hong Kong leader John Lee pledges to work to make cross-border science and tech hub reality by 2035

Lee promises better flow of innovation ideas between city and Shenzhen to ensure world-class tech site is operational on time

He adds Hong Kong will also strive to align its innovation and technology work with national development plans to cement city role as bridge to world

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The Lok Ma Chau checkpoint, a crucial link in the plan to create a major cross-border science and technology hub. Photo: May Tse

Published: 10:43pm, 29 Aug 2023Updated: 2:15am, 30 Aug 2023

Hong Kong’s leader has pledged to promote a better flow of innovation ideas between the city and Shenzhen in mainland China to ensure development by the mid-2030s of a border cluster of top laboratories and research institutes.

John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday also promised to work to integrate the city’s innovation and technology ecosystem with national development plans in a bid to further cement Hong Kong’s role as a bridge between the mainland and the rest of the world.

Lee welcomed the State Council’s promulgation of the development blueprint for the Shenzhen IT Park project in Hetao earlier in the day.

The area is one of four platforms for cross-border cooperation in the Greater Bay Area, an economic powerhouse made up of Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong with a combined population of 86 million.

The science and technology park in Shenzhen, part of one of mainland China’s first special economic zones. Photo: Xinhua

The blueprint outlined 30 measures, covering areas such as positioning, overall layout and infrastructure plans for the Shenzhen IT Park, as well as collaboration with Hong Kong to promote international investment and high-quality development in the bay area.

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