Tech chief visits Abu Dhabi

Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong and a delegation from the innovation and technology (I&T) industry began their visit to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.

Their morning schedule included a tour of Masdar City, which is a business and research and development hub with a comprehensive ecosystem that drives innovation to realise greener and more sustainable urban living. While there, they were briefed on the innovative design and technology projects of the sustainable urban community.

Prof Sun later met Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry Board Member Noor Al Tamimi to discuss forging closer business and trade ties between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi and strengthening co-operation in areas such as I&T and new industrialisation.

Prof Sun pointed out that both Hong Kong and the UAE are leading regional financial and business centres, and have huge potential for co-operation in the area of I&T development.

Afterwards, the tech chief visited Hub71 to learn more about how the technology centre supports corporates to innovate and start business, as well as the centre's various programmes and funding support for its member startups.

He and his delegation then listened to a presentation about Abu Dhabi's I&T ecosystem and had an exchange with Director General of Abu Dhabi Investment Office Badr Al-Olama, Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Residents Office Hareb Al Mheiri and Executive Director of Industrial Development Bureau Arafat Al Yafei.

In the evening, Prof Sun attended a dinner hosted by Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the UAE Zhang Yiming.

He introduced to Mr Zhang the latest initiatives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to promote the development of I&T and new industrialisation in Hong Kong, which support the high-quality development of the city's economy.

Prof Sun concluded the visit and returned to Hong Kong in the evening.