People's Daily:

The Shenzhen park of the HTCZ stands as an essential platform for scientific and technological innovation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA. Could you shed light on the efforts made in the construction of Shenzhen park so far and their outcomes? Moreover, what future plans have been made to deepen Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation using the HTCZ? Thank you.

Qin Weizhong:

Thank you for your questions; I will answer them. You asked about the progress of the work related to Shenzhen Park and its future planning. The plan for the Shenzhen park of the HTCZ issued by the State Council fully demonstrated the care from the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core and its great support for Shenzhen to build itself into a pilot demonstration area of socialism with Chinese characteristics. The CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee and the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government bear in mind the tasks that General Secretary Xi Jinping has given in the new era. In line with the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we are pooling the strength of various parties in the city to advance the construction of the cooperation zone. We are supported by the NDRC, the MOST, the GACC, the People's Government of Guangdong Province, and the Hong Kong SAR government.

First, we've amassed a wealth of scientific and technological innovation resources. At present, we have established high-end research institutes such as the Quantum Science Center of the GBA and the BRICS Institute of Future Networks at the Shenzhen park of the HTCZ. Currently, five renowned Hong Kong universities have established 10 innovative R&D platforms in Shenzhen park. The park also hosts research facilities for five Global Fortune 500 companies, and five headquarters and research centers for unicorn companies, gathering 12 domestic and foreign academicians and more than 3,000 research professionals. 

Second, a raft of measures for opening-up and innovation have been introduced. The governments of Shenzhen and Hong Kong have jointly launched a package consisting of 28 policies. We have put into action five pilot policies to facilitate the cross-border flow of innovative elements, including simplifying the entry and exit procedures for scientific research samples. The Shenzhen Data Exchange has officially opened, executing the country's first cross-border data transaction. Currently, it leads the country in terms of trading volume.

Third, a group of science and innovation parks have been established. Over the last three years, we have completed 11 specialized projects, such as the Shenzhen-Hong Kong International Science Park and the International Biomedical Industrial Park, offering a total research space of 800,000 square meters. Mr. Chen Guoji noted that the Shenzhen Branch of the Hong Kong Science Park will officially open this Thursday.

Going forward, we will focus on the following key tasks.

First, we will work hard to stimulate the vitality of the cross-border scientific and technological innovation system and mechanism. We will align with the innovation standards of Hong Kong and the international community, and adopt globally advanced scientific research management mechanisms such as the peer review system, the project manager system, and the fund contract system. We will launch global competitions for major scientific and technological issues. Furthermore, we'll introduce a "whitelist" filing management system for scientific research institutions and enterprises and accelerate the development of special channels for international data.

Second, we will connect with the global network of scientific and technological innovation. We'll accelerate the integration of top-notch innovation resources from Hong Kong and beyond. Our goal is to build more than 20 high-level scientific research collaboration platforms between Shenzhen and Hong Kong by 2025 and form more than five international industry and standards organizations.

Third, we will develop emerging industries and create new drivers for growth. We'll concentrate on cutting-edge fields such as next-generation information technology, biomedicine, general artificial intelligence, and the digital economy. We aim to build various R&D service platforms and industrial bases for the trial and application of scientific breakthroughs, with the goal of ensuring that the most advanced and cutting-edge technologies are tested and successfully transformed here.

Fourth, we will promote the coordinated development of "one zone, two parks." We will enhance the planning integration between the two parks, accelerate the rebuilding of the Huanggang Port, and hasten the construction of the international talent community and other infrastructure and public service platform projects. By 2025, more than 1.5 million square meters of science and innovation space will be completed.

In all, Shenzhen will fully implement the plan for the Shenzhen park of the HTCZ, collaborate more closely with Hong Kong, and contribute more and better to building a key node of the international sci-tech innovation center in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA and developing a world-class sci-tech hub. Thank you.