CE meets CPPCC Vice-Chairman and President of China Association for Science and Technology (with photo)

          The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and President of the China Association for Science and Technology Professor Wan Gang at Government House this afternoon (May 23).

     Mrs Lam welcomed Professor Wan’s visit to Hong Kong and said she was pleased to meet him for the third time since taking office. She thanked Professor Wan for his staunch support for Hong Kong’s development of innovation and technology (I&T) during his tenure as the Minister of Science and Technology and his continued concern for Hong Kong in his new capacity. She said she has been inspired by Professor Wan each time they have met, strengthening her resolve to help  Hong Kong to develop in I&T at full steam to catch up with others.

     She said that the current-term Government is determined to be proactive and has put forward various policy initiatives in the past few months to advance I&T development. These have included the launch of a listing regime for I&T companies from emerging and innovative sectors to list in Hong Kong to raise capital, the amendment of the Inland Revenue Ordinance to provide enhanced tax deduction to encourage enterprises to spend more in research and development, the announcement of the Technology Talent Admission Scheme to admit overseas and Mainland talent and nurture local talent for I&T enterprises, and the preparation for the establishment of two research clusters on healthcare technologies and artificial intelligence and robotics technologies to attract top global and local scientific research talent. She said that such initiatives are well received by local, overseas and Mainland parties, which demonstrates Hong Kong's continued advantages. She expressed the hope that Professor Wan would continue to show his concern and support for Hong Kong so that Hong Kong’s I&T ecosystem would develop in a diversified manner.