Collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology

In May 2004, Hong Kong and Mainland signed an agreement to establish the Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee which is responsible for formulating and coordinating exchanges and collaboration on science and technology between the two places. Both parties subsequently renewed the agreement by signing the “Mainland/Hong Kong Science and Technology Co-operation Committee Agreement” (Chinese only) at the 8th Meeting of the Committee held in August 2013 to continue strengthening the exchanges and collaboration on science and technology between both places.

On 20 September 2018, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) signed the “Arrangement on Enhancing Innovation and Technology Cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong” (Chinese only).

On the same day, the then Innovation and Technology Bureau (ITB) and the MOST also signed the “Agreement on Commencing Jointly Funded Projects between the MOST and the ITB of the HKSAR Government” (Chinese only) to set up the Mainland-Hong Kong Joint Funding Scheme which aims to support and encourage collaboration on science and technology between Hong Kong and various Mainland provinces. The Scheme was officially launched in April 2019. For details, please refer to the relevant webpage of the Innovation and Technology Fund website.

On 15 March 2023, the HKSAR Government and the MOST signed the “Arrangement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on Expediting the Development of Hong Kong into an International Innovation and Technology Centre”, which is an important step in fostering the development of Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre, and it also marks a new page of scientific and technological collaboration between the Mainland and Hong Kong. Major content of the Agreement is at link (Chinese only).

The MOST and the Ministry of Finance also promulgated new guidelines in May 2018 setting out the overall institutional arrangements for Hong Kong higher education institutions and scientific research institutes to apply directly for science and technology funding of the Central Government. The MOST has opened up certain themes under the “National Key Research and Development Programme” and the “Sci-Tech Innovation 2030” for designated institutions in Hong Kong to apply in the capacity of lead or participating party. Thus far, a number of projects applied by Hong Kong institutions have been approved. The National Natural Science Foundation of China and some Mainland provinces and municipalities have also approved scientific and research funding to Hong Kong universities and scientific research institute for conducting research and development projects or setting up laboratory. Approved scientific and research funding from the Mainland has gradually been remitted to scientific research institutes in Hong Kong, providing impetus to the development of our innovation and technology.

Besides, the Central Government announced after the 3rd plenary meeting of Leading Group for Development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area held in November 2019 that education institutions, hospitals or branches on the Mainland established by Hong Kong’s universities and public scientific research institutes, upon meeting specific requirements, can apply for exporting human genetic resources to Hong Kong independently under a trial scheme.

Separately, with the recommendation from the HKSAR Government, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited were respectively awarded as “State-level Scientific and Technological Enterprise Incubators” by the MOST in November 2017 and November 2020, in recognition of their continuous efforts in providing incubation and support services to Hong Kong innovation and technology start-up enterprises. In September 2018, also with the HKSAR Government’s recommendation, the MOST announced that it would entrust SenseTime Group Limited to establish the “National Open Innovation Platform for Next-Generation Artificial Intelligence on Intelligent Vision” with a view to promoting the innovation and industrial ecological development of artificial intelligence in the country.

To make full use of scientific and technological resources and to encourage and support researchers in Hong Kong to carry out scientific research experiments, the "National Network Management Platform for Key Scientific Research Infrastructure and Major Scientific Research Instruments" (courtesy translation) is now open to Hong Kong. Researchers can search, browse and make reservations for scientific research instruments through the online platform.