Hong Kong Science Park to open new branch in Shenzhen cooperation zone, area to house 40 projects tied to innovation drive
- ‘We aim to take the development of the Hetao cooperation zone to a new level,’ Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong says
- Hong Kong’s No 2 official Eric Chan says financial hub will join hands with Shenzhen to turn park into a world-class innovation platform
The Hong Kong Science Park will open its new branch in Shenzhen on Thursday, a key step in a wider effort by Beijing to turn the neighbouring cities into national engines of innovation by 2035.
Shenzhen authorities would also launch 40 other projects based in the new cooperation zone on the same day, Mayor Qin Weizhong said at a press conference held in Beijing by a number of ministries on Tuesday.
“We aim to establish key laboratory clusters, top research and development centres, and a number of collaborative projects that could complement each other with the Hong Kong side of the park,” he said, adding the plan was to “take the development of the Hetao cooperation zone to a new level”.
Qin was referring to the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, which is already home to a quantum-computing centre, data exchange and institute devoted to the Brics association comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
The two sections of the park are separated by the Shenzhen River, with the Hong Kong side spread across 87 hectares (214 acres), and the Shenzhen one occupying 302 hectares. Five Hong Kong universities have already set up 10 innovation centres in the park on the northern side.
The State Council announced a raft of measures last week aimed at creating leading research clusters involving Hong Kong and Shenzhen by 2035. Beijing has also expressed hopes that a collaboration mechanism between the two cities could be put in place by 2025 to draw world-class talent in research.
But yawning differences in laws, regulation and immigration are hampering the cross-border movement of resources. On Tuesday, Qin and Sun Yuning, deputy director of the General Administration of Customs, promised easier and faster immigration and clearance to facilitate the flow of people, funds, vehicles, equipment and data between the Shenzhen and Hong Kong parts of the Hetao zone.