â€‹The China Manned Space delegation continued their visit to Hong Kong today (November 30) by visiting the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in groups, and shared the latest developments in national aerospace technologies in the afternoon. The delegation also took part in in-depth discussions with teachers and students on various topics, including aerospace technologies, life in space and astronaut training.

     Led by the leader of the delegation, Mr Lin Xiqiang, seven members of the delegation attended the dialogue session with university teachers and students held at PolyU. Other guests included the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin; the Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC), Mr Tim Lui; the Chairman of PolyU Council, Dr Lam Tai-fai; and the President of PolyU, Professor Teng Jin-guang. About 700 PolyU teachers and students actively participated in the event.

     The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, extended her warm welcome to the visit of the China Manned Space delegation. In her speech, Dr Choi said, "Through the efforts of generation after generation, the country has leaped to the forefront of manned space technologies. The indomitable spirit, unwavering determination and relentless efforts of Chinese people have captured the world's attention. The delegation's visit fully demonstrates the nation's care and importance attached to the students of Hong Kong."

     She noted that participants not only have the opportunity to admire the charisma of the astronauts, but also experience the vigorous developments of the motherland in aerospace technologies through the sharing sessions and witnessing the spirit of perseverance and self-improvement of space exploration.

     She believed that the event would undoubtedly deepen society's understanding of the country's development and achievements in aerospace technologies, as well as on Hong Kong's role and contributions in the participation. It will also inspire the younger generation's interests in aerospace technology, and enhance their national consciousness and sense of national identity. 

     She stated, "Under the National 14th Five-Year Plan, the country has expressed clear support for Hong Kong to develop into an international innovation and technology hub and has been determined to establish a comprehensive national science centre in the Greater Bay Area. Last year, the country recruited payload experts in Hong Kong for the first time, which encouraged our young people to contribute to the national aerospace industry. It also signified the high importance and recognition that the country places on scientific research talent in Hong Kong. On this front, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has been dedicated to the promotion of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education, aligning with the strategic direction of invigorating the country through science and education. It will shape new driving forces and advantages for development, and cultivate future talent for both the country and Hong Kong."

     Dr Choi also mentioned the various collaborations and developments between PolyU and the national aerospace technology sector. The achievements have demonstrated the synergistic effects generated by academic exchanges and resource sharing between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Government will fully support mutual collaborations, enhance exchanges and co-operation in scientific research so as to achieve high-level win-win outcomes and take up a crucial role in supporting the country to become the world's leading space-faring nation in a concerted effort.

     Apart from the event at PolyU, nine other members of the delegation also attended an event held at HKUST and met with about 400 teachers and students. HKUST, as the first university in Hong Kong to launch a satellite, has been actively promoting aerospace development in Hong Kong. With its internationally renowned research capabilities, HKUST also collaborated with the industry sector to promote the industrial, academic and research developments of aerospace in the country. Other guests included the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li; Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Ms Wu Cheng; the Chairman of the Research Grants Council, Professor Wong Yuk-shan; the Convener of the General Affairs and Management Sub-committee of the UGC, Mr Philip Tsai; the Chairman of the HKUST Council, Professor Harry Shum; and the President of HKUST, Professor Nancy Ip.

     The teachers and students from two universities attending the sessions deemed that the delegation's visit would deepen Hong Kong citizen's understanding of the country's developments and achievements in aerospace technologies, and foster a greater interest in innovative technology among the younger generation. In addition, the visit encouraged post-secondary institutions to actively engage in national scientific research and aerospace developments, and nurture talent for both the country and Hong Kong.

  

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) held the 75th Anniversary Ceremony today (November 30).

     Officiating at the ceremony, the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, said that the EMSD has been undertaking the regulatory work in the areas of mechanical and electrical safety and energy efficiency and had played an important role in Hong Kong during challenging times over the years. He said that green transformation and innovative technology are global trends as well as important dimensions of the country's pursuit of high-quality development. Government departments should play the roles of regulator, facilitator and contributor well, and he encouraged the EMSD, with its agility and spirit of innovation, to contribute to making Hong Kong a more livable, green and smart city.
      
     Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Eric Pang, said that the EMSD is committed to serving the public and client departments with a "customer-oriented and people-first" approach over the past 75 years, and proactively seeking breakthroughs in the areas of energy efficiency, I&T and talent training. The EMSD will carry on with its fine tradition, pass on experience and expertise, and continue to provide quality services.
      
     To share the joy with the public, the E&M 75th Anniversary Fun Day will be held at the EMSD Headquarters on December 2 and 3. The Fun Day features an array of activities, including a thematic exhibition which gives an account of the recent development milestones of the EMSD and its development direction for the future. There are also activities such as E&M guided tours, visits to Kai Tak District Cooling System (North Plant), game booths, workshops and dedicated exhibitions. Members of the public can learn about the daily work of the EMSD, as well as the knowledge of E&M safety, energy efficiency and application of I&T.   

        

     The 17th Shenzhen-Hong Kong Joint Planning Co-operation Meeting was held in Hong Kong today (November 30). Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been maintaining close ties and regularly exchanging the latest progress on town planning work of the two cities through the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Joint Planning Co-operation Meeting. 

     Those attending the joint co-ordination meeting included the Director of Planning, Mr Ivan Chung, and the Chief of the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, Mr Xu Songming. The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, also met with Mr Xu and the delegation of the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality after the meeting. 

     At today's meeting, the Planning Department and the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality introduced Hong Kong's latest amendment of the Town Planning Ordinance and the "Shenzhen Spatial Planning on Emergency Evacuation and Rescue (2021-2035)" respectively. Both sides also exchanged views on developments such as the Northern Metropolis and San Tin Technopole, and have agreed to foster closer interaction, including arrangements for meetings and reciprocal visits next year.

     After the meeting, officials from the Planning Department and the delegation of the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality visited the Tung Chung Community Liaison Center. The party was briefed by representatives of the Sustainable Lantau Office of the Civil Engineering and Development Department on the development of Tung Chung East reclamation and the conservation of Lantau, and conducted a site visit to Tai O to learn more about projects under the Lantau Conservation Fund. 

     Officials from the Planning Department and the delegation of the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality will visit New Territories North tomorrow (December 1) to learn more about the latest planning and development of main new development areas in the Northern Metropolis.

        

     The China Manned Space delegation attended a luncheon hosted by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau today (November 30) to meet and exchange views with representatives from Hong Kong's technology and higher education sectors.

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, said at the luncheon, "The National Manned Space Programme has been breaking new ground and making remarkable achievements in the past some-30 years. Last year, the country launched the recruitment of the fourth batch of astronauts and the recruitment of payload specialists in Hong Kong for the first time, giving Hong Kong citizens the opportunity to participate in the important missions of the National Manned Space Programme. This demonstrated the country's care and support to Hong Kong, and the importance and recognition attached to Hong Kong's technology sector. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been rendering its full co-operation to the country's recruitment exercise. We are deeply honoured and encouraged that Hong Kong candidates have entered into the final stage of the recruitment process. We hope that the Hong Kong candidates could have the opportunity to realise their space aspirations and contribute to the country. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has a solid foundation in basic scientific research. We will continue to leverage on our strengths to contribute to the country's building of an aerospace power."
 
     The Deputy Director General of the China Manned Space Agency, Mr Lin Xiqiang, also shared the country's achievements and latest developments in aerospace technology with representatives from the technology and higher education sectors at the luncheon.

     The luncheon was attended by officials from the HKSAR Government, including Professor Sun; the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Eddie Mak; the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong; the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Mr Ivan Lee; the Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Tony Wong; and the Commissioner for Efficiency, Miss Patricia So.

     Representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison also attended. Other guests included presidents of universities and young researchers, representatives from the University Grants Committee, the Research Grants Council, research and development centres for innovation and technology, and the InnoHK research laboratories.

      

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, at Our Hong Kong Foundation and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Joint BioTech Research Report Launch: "Developing Hong Kong into Asia's Leading Clinical Innovation Hub" today (November 30):
 
Dr Silas Yang (Governor of Our Hong Kong Foundation), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
 
     Good afternoon. I am most delighted to stand before you today as the Secretary for Health to give remarks at the launch of the insightful research report "Developing Hong Kong into Asia’s Leading Clinical Innovation Hub", which was jointly conducted by Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP). I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all in attendance today, and express my deepest gratitude to OHKF and the HKSTP for spearheading this pioneering study.
            
     The launch of the study today comes at a perfect time as our community and the world are now entering the post-COVID pandemic stage and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is determined to seize the opportunity to develop Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub. In this year's Policy Address, the Chief Executive announced that various initiatives will be implemented to develop Hong Kong into a health and medical innovation hub by leveraging Hong Kong's high-quality healthcare system, state-of-the-art research facilities and capabilities, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) national strategy.
 
     First of all, Hong Kong is planning to establish the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute (GBAICTI) in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone to provide a one-stop clinical trial support platform for research institutions and stakeholders, and co-ordinate resources in the public and private healthcare sectors.  More importantly, the Hetao Co-operation Zone provides the ideal strategic location for a Hong Kong-Shenzhen cross-boundary collaborative clinical trial platform that complies with both national and international standards, combining the high-quality international clinical research experience of Hong Kong with the large-quantity clinical networks in Shenzhen and the GBA.
 
     At the same time, our Hospital Authority (HA), that manages 43 public hospitals under a single clinical management computer system ideal for clinical trial networks and big data research, will establish the Cluster Clinical Research Support Office that aims to roll out different supportive measures to encourage, facilitate and expedite the process of clinical trials.
 
     With the aim of bringing good medicine to Hong Kong 「好藥港用ã€� and enhancing our biomedicine development ecosystem, we are also taking steps to enhance our drug regulatory regime towards the "primary evaluation" approach. The Government will establish a drug and medical device regulatory authority under the title of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation (CMPR). As the first step, we have launched the new "1+" mechanism since November 1, 2023, to expedite the approval of new drugs. In contrast to secondary evaluation that requires the approval of two reputable regulatory authorities or two CPPs (Certificates of Pharmaceutical Product), application for registration of new drugs used for life-threatening or severely-debilitating diseases may now rely on one CPP plus the submission of sufficient local clinical data for experts' approval. The new regime will provide a fast track for the registration and clinical use of new drugs to benefit needy patients not only in Hong Kong but in the GBA through the measure of using Hong Kong registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in the GBA 「港澳藥械通ã€�. It will also attract pharmaceutical and device industries to develop R&D (research and development) and have new medical products registered in Hong Kong.
 
     In addition, with the support of the National Medical Products Administration, Hong Kong, China has been accepted as an observer of the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) with effect from October 31, 2023. Our mission is to serve as the centre of "bringing in" and "going global" for health and medical innovations that will benefit the GBA and contribute to the building of a "Healthy China" and to become an internationally recognised regulatory authority for medical products.
 
     The initiatives call for concerted cross-sector collaboration and dialogue, and OHKF and the HKSTP are definitely our important partners in this subject area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the research report which shares the same visions that the Government has and sheds insightful light on how Hong Kong can leverage our strengths to elevate our standing as a regional powerhouse that propels health and medical innovation, bringing benefits to Hong Kong and the GBA as well as contributing to the building of a "Healthy China". This report systematically unveils policy, talent, operational and infrastructural constraints hindering Hong Kong's clinical research ascent through in-depth surveys and experts' interviews that involved over 250 stakeholders. Based on stakeholders' feedback, it recommends action plans across five fronts that can help overcome our limitations and transform Hong Kong into a leading regional powerhouse and global influencer in the field of medical innovation. The recommendations echo the Government's initiatives and reinforce our society's confidence in scaling new heights in health and medical innovation.
 
     In closing, I would like to quote from the important speech that President Xi Jinping delivered at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland and the inaugural ceremony of the sixth-term Government of the HKSAR last year. President Xi said, "We must fully and faithfully implement the principle of 'one country, two systems'" and "Hong Kong should maintain its distinctive status and advantages."
 
     Hong Kong's mission of developing into a health and medical innovation hub with a new policy of "primary evaluation" for medical products and establishment of a clinical trial platform in collaboration with Shenzhen and the GBA follows President Xi's direction to maintain our distinctive status and advantages in clinical research. It will create strong impetus for growth in biomedical innovation and translation as Hong Kong dovetails with the national strategies of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the GBA development to develop an international innovation and technology centre. It will address people's expectation to benefit from the most advanced biomedical technology and further enhance the healthcare standard in Hong Kong.
 
     Finally, I would like to reiterate the Government's gratitude for this extensive research report, which sheds light on Hong Kong's health and medical innovation landscape and suggests pathways for seeking a breakthrough. It is of extremely high reference value. Thank you very much and may I wish you all excellent health.