Xi Jinping: To promote and enhance technology cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland

Xi Jinping made important instructions on letters from two academicians in Hong Kong, and emphasis
To promote and enhance technology cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland
Support Hong Kong make contributions to efforts to become a science and technology powerful nation
Relevant departments should promptly carry out the implementation work
To promote science and technology cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong in an orderly manner
 
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 14th:  In June 2017, 24 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering who are in Hong Kong wrote letters to General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, the president of the State Council and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission - Xi Jinping, expressing their urgent desires and great enthusiasm for technology to develop and innovate of serving the motherland.  Xi Jinping is serious to make important instructions and quickly deployed related work.  He stressed that promoting Hong Kong and the Mainland to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation, supporting Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology center, and supporting the Hong Kong scientific and technological community to contribute to building a strong country in science and technology and to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
 
Xi Jinping pointed out that Hong Kong has a relatively strong foundations in scientific and technological and has many high-quality scientific and technological talents who love Hong Kong and patriotism. This is an important force for China to implement an innovation-driven development strategy and build an innovative country. The Hong Kong scientific and technological community has made important contributions to the development of Hong Kong for a long time.
 
Xi Jinping stressed that it is part of the principle of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong to promote and enhance technology cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland, support Hong Kong to become an international innovation and technology centre, and make full use of their respective technological advantages to contribute to the economic development and improvement of people's livelihood in Hong Kong and the mainland.  We should attach importance to the problems reflected in the letter from the Hong Kong academicians, promptly formulate specific policies and solve them in a reasonable way, so as to support the Hong Kong science and technology community in making Hong Kong a strong country in science and technology and contributing to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
 
In the spirit of important instructions from General Secretary Xi Jinping, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance have attached great importance to it and held special meetings for many times, taking Hong Kong's scientific and technological innovation power as an important part of the national innovation system and innovation strength, From the perspective of the country's overall scientific research layout and supporting Hong Kong's own development, we will study related measures to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong,  and in conjunction with the liaison office of the central government in Hong Kong, we have fully listened to the views and Suggestions of the Hong Kong SAR government and the scientific and technological community, conducted pilot projects on a special basis, and resolutely and promptly carried out the work.
 
At present, the problems reflected in letters from academicians of the two academicians in Hong Kong about the transit of national research project funds through Hong Kong and preferential tariffs on the entry of scientific research instruments and equipment, which have been basically solved.  The National Key R&D Program has directly supported to 16 national key laboratories in Hong Kong & Hong Kong and Macau Partner Lab, and also on the basis of the pilot, the State Science and Technology Program directly funded scientific research activities in Hong Kong and Macao to make the overall institutional arrangements.  All of Hong Kong's scientific research institutions in the mainland have enjoyed import tax policies to support scientific and technological innovation. The two key national laboratories in Macao, Hong Kong&Macao partner laboratories have also received direct support from the National Science and Technology Program, and the response from the Hong Kong & Macao scientific and technological community was enthusiastic.  In the next step, relevant state departments will systematically implement the important instructions of general secretary Xi Jinping, support scientists who love their country and Hong Kong to participate in the national science and technology plan and expand and deepen science and technology cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong in an orderly manner.