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Innovation and Technology

Certification testing that can be undertaken by Hong Kong testing organisations to all products that are processed or manufactured in the Mainland requiring China Compulsory Certification.

Hong Kong Accreditation Service

The accreditation service operates according to international standards and is active in international and regional accreditation communities. As at end-2018, it had mutual recognition arrangements with accreditation bodies in 102 economies. Through these arrangements, the results of tests, calibrations, certifications, inspections, validations and verifications provided by its accredited organisations are recognised globally, thus facilitating cross-border business.

Standards and Calibration Laboratory

The laboratory is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's (HKSAR) official custodian of physical measurement reference standards and provides a calibration service traceable to the International System of Units. It represents the HKSAR as a signatory to the Mutual Recognition Arrangement of the International Committee for Weights and Measures. As such, calibration certificates issued by the laboratory are recognised internationally.

Product Standards Information Bureau

The bureau sells standards documents and offers free technical advice on standards-related matters. It also represents the HKSAR in major forums relating to standards and conformance issues and acts as Hong Kong, China's Enquiry and Notification Point under the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.

Innovation and Technology Development

The government promotes I&T development in eight major areas outlined by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, namely increasing resources for R&D, pooling technology talent, providing funding investments, providing technological research infrastructure, reviewing legislation and regulations, opening up government data, leading changes to procurement arrangements and promoting popular science education.

To promote I&T development expeditiously and efficiently, the Chief Executive chairs a high- level, inter-departmental Steering Committee on Innovation and Technology to examine and steer measures under the eight major areas as well as smart city initiatives. Most of the principal officials are standing members of the committee.

R&D and Technology Transfer

The government's goal is to increase the ratio of gross domestic expenditure on R&D to Gross Domestic Product by 2022 to 1.5 per cent, and to reverse the ratio of public-sector to private- sector R&D expenditure gradually from being government-led to one of public-private participation.

To encourage enterprises to conduct more research activities, the government grants a 300 per cent tax deduction for the first $2 million of qualifying local R&D expenditure and 200 per cent for the remaining balance. The measure applies to qualifying expenditure incurred on and after 1 April 2018.

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