Mainland/HK collaboration will 'enhance both sides' strengths'

Experts are calling for greater cooperation to boost scientific development, as Wang Yuke reports from Hong Kong.

Greater cooperation in science and technology between Hong Kong and the mainland will maximize the strengths of both sides, according to Joseph Sung Jaoyiu, a leading biomedical scientist in the city.

Sung welcomed a recent instruction issued by President Xi Jinping calling for enhanced collaboration in science and technology between the mainland and Hong Kong, and supporting the city's aim of becoming an international center for innovative technologies.

"President Xi's instruction opens a door for Hong Kong scientists and researchers," said Sung, a former vice-chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

"It gives our research jobs flexibility. Easy transportation between Hong Kong and Guangdong province facilitates exchanges between Hong Kong and mainland researchers. In future, research teams in Hong Kong could apply for State funding directly without having to team up with mainland researchers."

While Hong Kong has a number of advantages in terms of scientific research and development across a range of disciplines, researchers from the city often struggle to access funding and other forms of financial support to sustain their projects.

"Though some obtain research funding from the local government, the sums are sometimes far from enough to carry out costly projects. As a result, we can only produce research papers or sell our patents," Sung said.

"This is not the case on the mainland, where institutes and enterprises have large research and development budgets that we cannot match."

Hong Kong scientists and researchers will now be able to secure national funding and support, as long as the project includes experts both from Hong Kong and the mainland.

Sung and his team were among the first beneficiaries, having been granted 990,000 yuan ($155,828) at the end of last year for research into digestive cancers.