Speech by SITI at online forum arranged by Healthtech Finland and Finland Chamber of Commerce in Helsinki, Finland (English just) (with picture)
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Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at an online forum arranged by the Healthtech Finland and the Finland Chamber of Commerce in Helsinki, Finland on May 13 (Helsinki time):
Marko (Minister Counsellor, Trade and Business Promotion, Embassy of Finland, Beijing, Mr Marko Tiesmäki), Timo (Consul-General of Finland to Hong Kong, Mr Timo Kantola), Saara (CEO of Healthtech Finland, Ms Saara Hassinen), girls and gentlemen,
Excellent afternoon. It is a terrific enjoyment to satisfy you here in Helsinki and engage with the HealthTech Finland.
Finland has actually long been identified for its quality in digital health, medical engineering, and human-centric development. These strengths make Finland a perfect partner for Hong Kong as we are speeding up the advancement of our development and innovation (I&T) environment, especially in life and health innovation, which has actually been determined as a tactical top priority under the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint. Today, I wish to share how Hong Kong is advancing this sector, and why this opens significant chances for partnership in between our 2 economies.
Hong Kong’s development in life and health innovation starts with our strong structure in research study quality and scientific ability. Our city is now home to 5 universities ranked amongst the international leading 100, consisting of 2 of the world’s leading 40 medical schools. This scholastic strength is matched by a health care system worldwide identified for its quality, security, and effectiveness. Our scientific research study environment is relied on for its rigour and adherence to worldwide requirements– a vital possession for equating clinical discoveries into real-world medical applications.
Structure on this structure, Hong Kong has actually developed a flagship R&D (research study and advancement) platform called the InnoHK Research Clusters. InnoHK combines more than 30 world-renowned universities and research study institutes from 12 economies to perform innovative research study in Hong Kong, pooling together more than 3 000 research study skills from all over the world. An overall of 38 research study centres have actually been developed just recently, with 16 devoted to health innovations. Their research study covers accuracy medication, AI-assisted diagnostics, regenerative medication, neurodegenerative illness research study, transmittable illness modelling, biomedical robotics, and advanced rehabs. These labs have actually currently produced high-impact clinical publications and established start-ups or developed industrial spin-offs. This shows Hong Kong’s capability not just to carry out first-rate research study, however likewise to transform it into services that benefit clients and society.
To guarantee that development can move effectively from laboratory to market, Hong Kong is quickly broadening its I&T facilities. The Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Hong Kong Park) is a significant cross-border development center situated at the border in between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It allows the smooth cross-boundary circulation of skill, capital, information and important products like biological samples. This special benefit has actually drawn in more than 80 I&T business up until now to develop an existence there considering that the Park’s main opening in December in 2015.
To even more speed up the advancement, the Hong Kong SAR Government is developing the Life and Health Technology Research Institute. Utilizing a “One plus Three” design, the Institute’s head office concentrated on “AI+ life sciences/ medicine” will be established at the Hong Kong Park, while 3 branches led by regional universities will each specialise in their own strengths, such as medical diagnosis, advance treatments, senior neurodegenerative illness. This cluster will produce among the most essential health-tech communities in Asia by connecting Hong Kong’s research study strengths and the lots of application circumstances and market of the Chinese Mainland, in specific the Greater Bay Area which has a population of 87 million and a GDP of RMB 15 trillion, that is around 1.87 trillion euros.
As a natural extension of the Hong Kong Park, we are constructing the San Tin Technopole to supply the commercial capability required for biomedical engineering, medical-device production, and AI-driven health services. This will act as a detailed platform that supports the whole development journey– from fundamental research study to commercialisation, to massive production, and eventually to market and clients.
The Hong Kong SAR Government is making unmatched financial investments in life and health innovation. To bring in global superior skill, we introduced a HK$ 3 billion (EUR326 million) Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme to speed up development research study. Matching funds are supplied to universities to bring in leading abroad skills to Hong Kong. A brand-new HK$ 10 billion (EUR 1.1 billion) I&T Industry-Oriented Fund will carry market capital into tactical markets, consisting of life and health innovation. These efforts match 2 other HK$ 10 billion plans– one is the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus Scheme to commercialise university research study results, another is the New Industrialisation Acceleration Scheme to support brand-new industrialisation and wise production in tactical sectors. Together, they show Hong Kong’s long term dedication to developing a worldwide competitive health-tech community.
With strong research study abilities, robust scientific quality, substantial federal government financial investment, exceptional access to the Greater Bay Area and an extremely reputable environment in information governance, medical requirements and the stability of research study, we are developing Hong Kong as one of Asia’s the majority of vibrant healthtech environments. By integrating Finnish development with Hong Kong’s strengths, together we can establish next-generation medical innovations, speed up scientific trials, and bring impactful options to clients around the globe. We deeply value the proficiency and imagination of Finnish and Nordic business and skills, and we warmly invite you to check out Hong Kong as your relied on base for research study, commercialisation, and growth into the Asian market. I anticipate the cooperations that will grow from today’s discussion. Thank you.