116 Commerce and Industry
Technology Cooperation with the Mainland
The Mainland and Hong Kong Science and Technology Cooperation Committee was formed in 2004 by the State Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the then Commerce, Industry and Technology Bureau (CITB) to formulate and coordinate technology cooperation and exchange programmes between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The committee has formed working groups to enhance cooperation in six technology areas: automotive parts and accessory systems, Chinese medicine, integrated circuit design, radio frequency identification technologies, nanotechnology, and energy saving and environmental protection.
In 2007, the committee agreed to invite ITC to coordinate applications from local universities to set up state key laboratories in Hong Kong. ITC also nominated entries for the State Technological Invention Award and the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, which are two award categories of the prestigious State Science and Technology Awards. To promote regional technology cooperation, MOST and the then CITB jointly organised the 'Joining Hands in Building an Innovative Nation Forum' on May 21, 2007 in Hong Kong. The forum was attended by over 500 representatives from the Mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.
Moreover, the then CITB signed a cooperation agreement with the State Ministry of Information Industry in April 2007 to encourage Hong Kong experts to participate in the formulation of national standards relating to the information industry, and enhance technology cooperation in various focus areas of the information industry, including mobile communication, technologies relating to consumer electronic products and digital TV.
The ITC and the Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology have been running the Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme (TCFS) since 2004 to support applied R&D projects in technology areas of common interest. Under the 2007 TCFS, both sides received about 700 applications.
In May 2007, the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the then CITB signed an agreement to foster closer technology cooperation between the two cities and promote the establishment of the 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle'. After signing the agreement, the two sides launched the 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Technology Cooperation Funding Scheme' under the 2007 TCFS and set up the 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Production Foundation' to promote R&D collaborations and share technology
resources.
Publicity and Promotional Events
The ITC organised the Innovation Festival 07 which ran from August to November to foster an innovation and technology culture in the community, particularly among young people. Under the theme of 'Let's Innovate For a New Era', the festival comprised a series of activities, including an Innovation Expo, a design exhibition, roadshows in three popular shopping malls, 20 thematic seminars, and 140 technology and design workshops, which attracted over 80 000 participants. With the support of the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, the ITC established the Hong Kong Youth Innovation Club in October 2006 and organised the annual