Hong Kong Talent Engage arranged for a delegation of German innovation and technology (I&T) talent to visit Hong Kong and Shenzhen from September 9 to 12 to learn about the entrepreneurial ecosystem, industry support and I&T opportunities in both cities.

The visit was aimed at attracting the delegates to pursue development in the Greater Bay Area. The 18-member delegation toured the Hong Kong Science Park, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Shatin Communications & Technology Centre, the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Center, as well as the Qianhai International Talent Hub in Shenzhen, and exchanged views with representatives from Invest Hong Kong, local start-ups and Mainland technology enterprises.

Meeting the delegation, Secretary for Labour & Welfare Chris Sun stated that talent and technology are the key engines driving high-quality economic and social development.

Mr Sun highlighted that Hong Kong leapt to fourth place globally and first in Asia in the World Talent Ranking, and that the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster was ranked first globally by the World Intellectual Property Organization, reflecting the high international recognition of Hong Kong’s appeal to talent and the bay area’s innovation capacity.

He added that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to promote complementarity and synergy between Hong Kong and other bay area cities, as well as facilitate the integration of technology and talent, with a view to fostering Hong Kong’s economic development and contributing to national development.

Representatives from the German youth entrepreneurship organisation said it was exceptionally meaningful for them to establish a connection with the Hong Kong SAR Government, and hoped that they could serve as a bridge between Hong Kong and Germany to enable more German talent to know about Hong Kong and expand into markets outside Europe.

Some delegates noted that Hong Kong’s location at the heart of Asia, mature financial market and network of business partners with access to the bay area’s vast markets make it conducive to starting or expanding a business. They found the visit useful in helping them understand the regional I&T ecosystem and expressed hope to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages to explore new opportunities in Asia.