Celebrating innovation: Acting Chief Executive Rafael Hui (centre) and Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong (second left) tour a booth at the launch of the five R&D centres.

Five research and development centres officially opened today, to promote innovation and technology development for key industries and facilitate collaboration between the Government, industry, academia and research organisations for developing applied R&D, and commercialising technology research.

"In the 21st century, innovation is vital to the economic development of the knowledge-based economy. To maintain Hong Kong's competitive edge, we must continue to strive for improved productivity and competitiveness," Acting Chief Executive Rafael Hui said at the opening ceremony.

He was joined by Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong, and the five centres' chairmen. More than 600 industry and technology leaders from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas were also on hand.

The Innovation & Technology Fund is financing the programme, and has reserved more than $2 billion to run the centres. Hosted by local universities and technology support organisations, they will provide applied research, technology transfer and commercialisation and help industries to move up the value chain.

Centres focus on five key industries

The centres will undertake industry-oriented research in technologies demanded increasingly in the Pearl River Delta region, with a focus on:

* automotive parts and accessory systems;

* information and communications technologies;

* logistics and supply-chain management enabling technologies;

* nanotechnology and advanced materials, and

* textiles and clothing.

Operating independently, they will provide support and solutions tailored for specific industry requirements. A board of directors and a technology committee have been appointed in each centre, offering relevant industry and market expertise to ensure that R&D activities are relevant to the respective industries.

The Innovation & Technology Commission recently signed Memoranda of Understanding with several world-renowned universities, including Tsinghua University, Universities of California, Berkeley and Los Angeles as well as The University College London.

The agreements allow the universities to participate in the R&D centres' programmes as technology partners. Individual R&D centres have also entered into agreements with technology enterprises on research collaboration, such as the agreements between the R&D Centre for Information & Communications Technologies and Telcordia, Wavecom and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation.

After the launch, a seminar titled "Developing Technology into Commercial Success" introduced the centres' programmes to participants and explained how their services could help bring success. To learn more about the presentations and the five centres' programmes, click here.

Coinciding with the centres' launch, the second working meeting of the Mainland/Hong Kong Science & Technology Co-operation Committee was held in Hong Kong today.

Ministry of Science & Technology Vice Minister Shang Yong gave a summary of the national plan for science and technology development, and described how Hong Kong could help implement its proposals.

"The launch of the five R&D centres this afternoon by the Hong Kong Government will cater for the technology needs of industry in the region and develop core technologies and intellectual property, so as to increase the industry's competitiveness and help it move up the value chain," Secretary for Commerce, Industry & Technology Joseph Wong said.

The two sides agreed to develop the five centres into a regional platform for applied research and technology transfer. The committee also agreed that Hong Kong universities' and research institutes' laboratories be accredited under the State Key Laboratories scheme, working as collaboration partners.

An exhibition in Hong Kong during the National Science & Technology Week in May 2007 will showcase both sides' science and technology achievements and strengthen their co-operation and exchange.

"There is already a solid foundation on the technology co-operation between the Mainland and Hong Kong. Today's meeting has further confirmed our future work plans. I hope the two sides will actively implement the plans and jointly strengthen co-operation and exchanges, to foster the development of technology research and the industry between the two places," Mr Wong said.