On the afternoon of December 21, 2016, Minister Wan Gang met with a visiting delegation headed by Mr. Leung Chun-ying, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The two sides discussed the way to strengthen scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong and push forward science and innovation and in Hong Kong.

Minister Wan Gang welcomed Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on his third visit to the Ministry of Science and Technology and highly praised the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the great importance it attaches to science and innovation and scientific and technological cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong. Minister Wan Gang reviewed the achievements of cooperation in science and innovation between the two sides in 2016, represented by INNOTECH EXPO 2016, Hong Kong Entrepreneurial Youth Tour of the Mainland and the Eleventh Meeting of the Mainland-Hong Kong Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation. Minister Wan Gang pointed out that 2017 would be an important year for the development of science and innovation in Hong Kong and the cooperation between the two sides, and that the Ministry of Science and Technology would continue to encourage Hong Kong scientists to participate in national science and technology programs, promote base building, bilateral cooperation in high and new technology parks, Hong Kong Entrepreneurial Youth Tour of the Mainland, China Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition-Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan Competition, and Hong Kong Exhibition of Competitive Science and Technology Products.

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying thanked Minister Wan Gang for his warm welcome and persistent support for science and innovation in Hong Kong and stressed that Hong Kong will fully leverage its role as a “super contact person”, meet the national needs and build on its own strength in the science and technology innovation field, push forward the priority areas of life science and technology, robotics, smart city, financial technology and other key fields, continuously promote cooperation in science and innovation with the mainland, and deepen scientific and technological cooperation in the Shenzhen-Hong Kong region. Secretary for Innovation and Technology of Hong Kong Nicholas W. Yang reported development in the fields of science and innovation funding, innovation ecosystem building, policy support, exhibitions and expos, and business incubation in the special administrative region in 2016.