Today (March 15), the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Li Jiachao, led a number of directors to visit the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China to exchange views on supporting Hong Kong to better integrate into the overall situation of national innovation and development. The two sides subsequently signed the Arrangement between the Mainland and Hong Kong on Accelerating the Construction of the Hong Kong International Innovation and Technology Center (hereinafter referred to as the "Arrangement"). Wang Zhigang, Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, said that the Arrangement will promote the cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong in science and technology innovation to a new stage, help Hong Kong to build an international innovation and technology center as soon as possible, and play a better role in accelerating the realization of a high level of scientific and technological self-reliance. Wang Zhigang said, "Science and technology are the first productive force, talent is the first resource, and innovation is the first driving force. We should do a good job in the top-level design and strategic arrangement of scientific and technological innovation cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong, aim at the strategic needs of national innovation and development, use Hong Kong's strengths to serve the needs of the country, and support Hong Kong to better integrate into the national innovation system. He pointed out that on the Hong Kong Chuangke Road, the central government has always supported Hong Kong to connect with the national innovation system, including opening up different projects of the national science and technology plan, promoting the sharing of large scientific research equipment in the mainland with Hong Kong, and even arranging the branches of Hong Kong scientific research institutions in the mainland, which can independently apply for human genetic resources to Hong Kong in the form of pilot units, so as to open up more resources for research and development in the Hong Kong scientific research community. Li Jiachao said that the signing of the Arrangement is an important step to further promote the construction of an international innovation and technology center in Hong Kong, marking the opening of a new chapter in scientific and technological cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong. Li Jiachao mentioned that the first three buildings of the Hong Kong and Shenzhen Innovation Science Park will be completed from the end of next year to better attract domestic and foreign enterprises to settle in this key scientific research cooperation base; In addition to the important opportunities brought by the central government to promote the comprehensive cooperation between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Nansha, Guangzhou and the world, and the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, Hong Kong and Guangdong Province will complement each other's advantages to create an innovative highland in the Great Bay Area. Li Jiachao continued to point out that the Hong Kong SAR government released the blueprint for the development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong at the end of last year, putting forward four development directions and eight key strategies. From the establishment of the "industry-university-research 1+plan" of HK $10 billion, to promote the commercialization of outstanding scientific research achievements, to increase the accommodation support for innovation personnel, and to ease the living burden of talents, Hong Kong will make every effort to introduce strategic industries, attract scientific research talents, promote innovation education, and move forward towards the grand vision of building Hong Kong into an international innovation center. (Xinhua News Agency)