The Connecting and Co-creating in GBA Seminar cum Greater Bay Area Outstanding Enterprise Awards 2024, held by HK01, are returning for the fourth consecutive year, offering enterprises an opportunity to delve deeper into the development of the Greater Bay Area for pursuing greater accomplishment as well as acknowledging exceptional companies within the Greater Bay Area.
The occasion took place last Thursday and was graced by Professor Sun Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, he shared in his speech that “Hong Kong is currently in the midst of constructing an international innovation and technology hub at full throttle. As a significant member of the Greater Bay Area, we must contemplate how to foster ‘collaborative innovation’ with our sister cities in the region through the development of innovation and technology, becoming a source of innovation within the area.” He remarked that the distinction in the technological innovation development between Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing lies in the Central Government's positioning of Hong Kong as an "international hub for high-end talent." "Talent propels technology, technology leads industries, and industries attract talent. Without industries, talent cannot come normally; and even if they come, you cannot retain them." he added.
He further proposed establishing a strong collaboration among the government, industry, academia, research, and investment sectors, emphasizing the necessity for increased involvement of social capital in addition to government funding. He envisions Hong Kong as the nation's "super-connector" and "super value-adder," poised to create opportunities for mainland enterprises to expand overseas, and for foreign enterprises to penetrate the Greater Bay Area market.
Mr. William Fung, Chief Media Strategy Officer of HK01, expressed in his speech that “This year marks the fourth year of HK01 hosting the Connecting and Co-creating in GBA Seminar cum Greater Bay Area Outstanding Enterprise Awards. Over the past three years, we have witnessed together the vision of Hong Kong integrating into the Greater Bay Area gradually transitioning from concept to reality; from broad policies to the daily lives of the general public…Hong Kong's alignment with the entire Greater Bay Area has become even more pronounced. From cross-border consumption, medical consultations, dental care to innovative border planning, to the gradual establishment of the Hetao Shenzhen‑Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co‑operation Zone, and the initiation of the construction of the Northern Metropolis, the connotation of "integration into the Greater Bay Area" has become clearer and more dimensional than before, with a more defined direction.”
The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area indicates support for deepening coordinated innovation amongst the three regions, actively attracting and connecting global innovation resources, enhancing in-depth integration of industries, academia and research, and developing an international innovation and technology hub. Therefore, this year’s Connecting and Co-creating in GBA Seminar had brought together esteemed experts from the industry-academia-research sectors, including Mr. Duncan Chiu, Member of Legislative Council of HKSAR, Chairman of Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme, Professor Qin Lin, Dean of CUHK Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Institute (Futian) and Mr. Kyran Sze, Honorary President and Convenor of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao-Bay Area Economic And Trade Association. And Ms. Irina Fan, Director of Research of Hong Kong Trade Development Council, as moderator of the panel discussion.
The panel discussion shed light on Hong Kong’s role in the Greater Bay Area. The speakers pointed out that the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong is in its initial stages, requiring gradual reinforcement of its weak areas, with the indispensable leadership role of the government.
Mr. Chiu believed that companies may not necessarily stay in Hong Kong for their development entirely, but may also expand to other cities in the Greater Bay Area. Therefore, it is essential to collaborate with the Greater Bay Area and provide incentives for development. He then added, for a city, the most crucial aspect is whether there is an industry capable of generating sustainable tax revenue, profits, and employment opportunities.
From an academic point of view, Professor Qin suggests exploring the possibility of universities in Hong Kong making their equipment available and whether the government could allocate resources to support the development direction. Furthermore, Mr. Sze at the seminar emphasized the importance of "prioritizing infrastructure development," establishing hubs to nurture various creative industries. They also proposed that Hong Kong, along with other cities in the Greater Bay Area, should understand how to complement each other's strengths, precisely supporting startups.
To celebrate companies with notable achievements in GBA development, HK01 organized the Greater Bay Area Outstanding Enterprise Awards. Awardees of this year were presented with trophies during the ceremony.
This year marks the 8th anniversary of HK01, and not only has it grown into the leading media in Hong Kong, it has also successfully expanded into Chinese communities around the world with a global monthly active users surpassing 17 million, and global monthly page views exceeding 1.4 billion. With an aim to provide the readers worldwide with high-quality news information and lifestyle services, HK01 will launch a simplified version of the website in the forthcoming future. It continues to maintain seamless connections with all sectors, allowing readers to stay in touch with the pulse of society. Furthermore, its "Media+" business strategy embraces diversification. By closely monitoring market trends and societal changes, HK01 leverages big data and algorithms to customize news and information for its readers while offering a wide range of lifestyle services.
Greater Bay Area Outstanding Enterprise Awards 2024 awardees (Only in Chinese)
This article is sponsored by HK01
