Hong Kong Research and Development (R&D) Centers formed a Pavilion at The Venture Forum 2006 in the San Jose Convention Center in June.

Mr. Anthony Wong, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology was a speaker at the “The Earth is Flat: Mining Global Innovation” panel discussion under the “2006 Venture Forum – Technology Innovation Showcase”, organized by LARTA Institute. He said that six Research and Development (R&D) Centers were established in Hong Kong to further promote the development of innovation and technology in the territory. Manufacturers and enterprisers from the United States can use the centers as a platform to enter the China market.

The R&D program harnesses Hong Kong’s excellence in applied research; the legal infrastructure for intellectual property protection; a business-friendly environment; and close proximity to the manufacturing base of the Pearl River Delta region. A combination of these factors created a natural base for a regional technology service hub, added Mr. Wong.

The establishment of the R&D Centers aims to facilitate collaboration amongst the Government, industry, the academia and research organizations for developing applied R&D, and commercializing technology research outputs. These centers provide a one-stop service for applied research, technology transfer and commercialization and help facilitate industries to move up the value chain.

Technology areas covered by the Hong Kong Pavilion at the Forum included automotive parts and accessory systems; information and communications technologies; nanotechnology and advanced materials; Chinese medicine; and environmental protection.