Chief Executive John Lee today witnessed the presentation of plaques to 15 State Key Laboratories (SKLs) in Hong Kong by Minister of Science & Technology Yin Hejun.

Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Zhou Ji also attended the presentation ceremony.

Prior to the event, Mr Lee met Mr Yin to exchange views on deepening the research and development collaboration between the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Mr Lee expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Science & Technology for its unfailing support to the work of the Hong Kong SAR Government, higher education institutions and SKLs in the city.

He added that having been accredited the status of SKL by the ministry, these labs demonstrates their world-class capabilities in basic research, technological innovation and the development of key core technologies.

"Under the principle of 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong has the advantage of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world and actively plays the role as a 'super connector' and 'super value-adder'.

“The SKLs in Hong Kong serve as an important platform for bringing together outstanding researchers from all over the world by establishing partnerships with top universities and research institutions at home and abroad, helping to build Hong Kong into a hub for international high-end talent."

The ministry agreed in 2018 that Partner SKLs in Hong Kong that were paired up with SKLs on the Mainland could be renamed as SKLs.

A restructuring exercise of the SKLs in Hong Kong was initiated in 2023 to align with the overall national development plan. The ministry approved the restructuring of 15 SKLs in Hong Kong in January 2025, and they have come into operation since July 1.