Speech by CE at opening ceremony of Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference and Xiangjiang Nobel Forum 2024 (with photos/video)

     Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference and the Xiangjiang Nobel Forum 2024 (April 13):

劉光�副主任（中央人民政府�香港特別行政��絡辦公室副主任）��永�署�特派員（中�人民共和國外交部�香港特別行政�特派員公署署�特派員）��然會長（香港北京高校校��盟會長）���來自世界�地的知�學者����業代表���嘉賓���朋�：

　　大家下�好�我很高興在這個春暖花開的日�，出席首屆「香港世界�年科學大會�，�時為「香江諾�論壇�展開�幕。

　　今天的盛會，有來自世界�地的一共六�諾�爾�得主�一�圖��得主�多�國際著�的科學家，加上來自北京�天津�河北等地的優秀創科�業代表，以�幾百�創科�年雲集香港。我謹代表特�政府���來自海內外的創科界的專家�學者和代表，表示熱烈歡迎�

　　接下來，我想先用英語歡迎我們來自海外的客人。

     I would like to turn to our English-speaking friends now.

     I am delighted to see that today's event has brought together six Nobel Laureates, one Turing Laureate, and some 20 internationally renowned academics and scientists from around the world.

     Your research expertise covers an inspiring range, from astronomy, neuroscience and medicine, to electrodynamics, computer science and quantum mechanics, and a great deal more. Your contributions are invaluable to humanity and the world. We look forward to your insights at today's conference, and your inspiration to our future generation of scientists.

     The Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to Hong Kong's rise as an international innovation and technology centre. We have devoted significant resources to such areas as AI (artificial intelligence) and big data, biotech, the medical sciences and new materials.

     That investment continues to expand, and in far-reaching ways. This year, we are launching a 1.3 billion-US-Dollar New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme. Companies engaged in life and health technology, AI, data science, advanced manufacturing and new energy technology may receive funding support from the Government, for as much as 26 million US dollars, on a matching basis. And those companies taking part may also receive subsidies for research talents.

     We expect the Scheme will attract some 100 companies, investing at least 2.6 billion US dollars in Hong Kong.

     Our startup sector last year, let me add, exceeded 4,200 companies. That's up 34 per cent over just four years ago. About 26 per cent of our startups came from abroad.

     And it's not just startups we are bringing to Hong Kong. In the past 15 months or so, we have attracted some 50 high-tech companies to set up or expand their business in Hong Kong.

     These high-tech firms are creating some 13,000 jobs in our city over the next few years. They're also bringing in over five billion US dollars in investment to our economy.

     Hong Kong's diverse pool of talent will help to sustain the rapid growth in our I&T (innovation and technology) scene, I'm pleased to add. It helps that Hong Kong is the only Asian city with as many as five universities in the world's top 100. According to a latest survey, Hong Kong houses some of the world's top 10 schools for the studies of dentistry, nursing, education, data science and AI in our various universities. Our world-class universities help to train our excellent researchers and multi-talented workforce.

     I'm just touching on a few of the many initiatives and promising areas we're fully invested in. The point, ladies and gentlemen, is that I&T is central to Hong Kong's future. And I am delighted that today's event is connecting so many world-class scientists and innovators.

     Science and technology aside, find good time to enjoy the arts, culture and fabulous food everywhere you turn in Hong Kong – the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. And do not forget to spend some good money here as well!

     I know you will enjoy today's events, and I wish you the best of business, science and innovation in the year to come.

     Now allow me to switch back to Chinese.

　　今天這場創科盛事，是香港特�政府和香港貿易發展局主辦的「國際創科營商周�活動之一。我感�「香港北京高校校��盟�，��多所院校和�辦單�，舉辦本次活動。

　　特�政府全力打造國際一�開放�作平�，推動香港與世界�地的「政�產�學�研�界別互相交�，��香港在國際上科學研究�創新創業等領域的地�。

　　香港在「一國兩制�下享有「背�祖國��通世界�的�特優勢，�有世界級的科研人�和設施�與國際接軌的法律和監管制度�完善的知識產權�護。香港是亞洲唯一�有多�五所全�百強大學的城市，培育大�優秀人�。這些多��數的優勢，都是香港的競爭力所在，一直�功�引世界�地的人�和�業來港發展。

　　特�政府將繼續善用制度和人�優勢，在香港建設國際創科中心，促進香港和內地以至全�創科事業的�作，貢�國家新質生產力的蓬勃發展。

　　除了政府的努力以外，�業的支��創科發展�樣��。今天的活動上，多家內地的科創�業將與香港科學園和數碼港等簽署�作備忘錄，�時我們將見證「香港創科��發展基金�的啟動，為香港創科注入全新力�。

　　今天的活動匯�了多�諾�爾��圖��得�者和優秀科學家，他們在��領域�得���就，為人類文明進步作出傑出貢�。我鼓勵���年學者和�業代表，都以他們的奮鬥精神和�越�就為榜樣，堅�探索，勇敢追夢，為人類命�共�體作出貢��

　　最後，在這個美好時刻，我宣布：首屆「香港世界�年科學大會�暨「香江諾�論壇�開幕���圓滿�功���大家�

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