Hong Kong sets June deadline for cross-border Hetao talent scheme

Cross-border movement of talent within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone will begin by June 30 next year at the latest, Hong Kong’s technology minister has said. Innovation, Technology and Industry Secretary Sun Dong gave the deadline while speaking on a radio programme on Sunday. He said the government also hoped to begin a pilot scheme for data flows as soon as possible.

The measures concern the Hong Kong Park of the cooperation zone, which is intended to support the movement of personnel, materials, capital and data between the Hong Kong and Shenzhen parks. Sun said Building 1 of the park, a launch pad for the Northern Metropolis University Town, had reached an 80 per cent leasing rate. He said the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s centre of excellence on global advanced manufacturing and the Life and Health Technology Research Institute would establish headquarters there in the second quarter of next year.

For about 20 remaining land parcels in the park’s first phase, the government had received six bids from semiconductor, artificial-intelligence and quantum-technology companies, as well as developers, Sun said. He added that trial semiconductor production at the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute was expected to begin this year. The institute’s work would allow companies to test products and address technical problems in Hong Kong before larger-scale manufacturing in the Greater Bay Area.

Sun said the government planned a HK$10 billion technology industry fund by year-end, with an expected HK$30 billion private-sector contribution. He also said an additional HK$1 billion would expand the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund, while the first phase of a Sandy Ridge data-facility cluster was expected to begin partial operations before July next year.