108 Commerce and Industry
Research and Development Centres
The Government has set up centres for co-ordinating applied R&D and assisting the transfer of technology for the following industries:
Automotive parts and accessory systems;
Information and communications technologies;
Logistics and supply chain management enabling technologies;
• Nanotechnology and advanced materials; and
Textiles and clothing.
These centres work closely with the respective industries and government departments in drawing up R&D plans and in facilitating the commercialisation of R&D products.
Technology Co-operation with the Mainland
The Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee was formed in 2004. It is a high level steering committee for the Mainland's Ministry of Science and Technology and Hong Kong's Commerce and Economic Development Bureau to work together in formulating and co-ordinating technology exchanges.
The committee held its fifth meeting in October 2010, and among other things, agreed to explore further trade facilitation measures through the latest provisions to the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The meeting also agreed to encourage more Hong Kong researchers and institutes to participate in the Mainland's science and technology programmes.
The Hong Kong and Guangdong governments run jointly a Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Co-operation Funding Scheme (TCFS) to encourage collaboration between their universities, research institutions and technology enterprises. Since its inception in 2004, the TCFS has supported 30 projects costing about $200 million. The two sides also signed an accord in 2010 called the 'Agreement on Joint Promotion of Hong Kong/Guangdong Industry-Academia-Research Co-operation' to foster co-ordination of technological resources and complementary strengths to speed up commercialisation of R&D achievements and enhance industrial competitiveness.
The 'Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle' was an initiative set up by the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Governments in May 2007 to promote communication, exchange and collaboration in innovation and technology between the two sides. The three-year action plan (2009-2011) involved 24 co-operation projects and received extensive support from the R&D sectors of both places. There was satisfactory progress in the launch and operation of these projects, creating an Innovation Circle modelling effect.
Publicity and Promotional Events
The Innovation and Technology Commission held a massive publicity event called InnoTech Month in 2010 (ITM 2010) which featured a wide range of activities to foster
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