HONG KONG – The central government fully supports Hong Kong in consolidating its unique position and advantages and accelerating its development as an international innovation and technology center, the top Beijing official on Hong Kong said on Thursday.

Xia Baolong, director of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, said this when Hong Kong’s Secretary for Innovation, Technology, and Industry Prof Sun Dong updated him on the latest situation of Hong Kong's I&T and the development of new industries.

Sun also briefed Xia on the Innovation, Technology, and Industry Bureau’s work, including enhancing Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem, promoting new industrialization, fostering the development of technology industries, developing a digital economy, and attracting strategic I&T enterprises and talent.

Highly commending the bureau's performance, Xia said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has placed I&T development at the forefront of its administration, while continuously enhancing the I&T ecosystem and actively attracting I&T enterprises and talent.

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The central government will fully and faithfully uphold the principle of "one country, two systems", he said.

Expressing gratitude for Xia's encouragement, Prof Sun said the country staunchly supports the development of Hong Kong as an international I&T hub.

He affirmed that the HKSAR government will live up to the mission the country has entrusted to it, support the high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and strengthen I&T cooperation with mainland provinces and cities, thereby complementing each other's strengths.

Hong Kong will better integrate itself into national development and contribute to the nation's grand vision of realizing self-reliance and self-improvement and building a strong nation in science and technology, he added.

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The innotech chief also visited the Ministry of Science and Technology in Beijing for a meeting with Vice Minister of Science and Technology Chen Jiachang and relevant officials.

Prof Sun said he is grateful to the central government and the ministry for their staunch support to Hong Kong's I&T development, with the introduction of numerous measures including the expansion of national science and technology programs to the city and promoting cross-boundary flow of key elements of scientific research.

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In the meeting, both sides discussed the advancement of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, and explored the cross-boundary measures to promote the flow of I&T elements such as people, materials, and data.

They also exchanged views on the restructuring of the State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong and the arrangements for the 18th meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science & Technology Co-operation Committee.