Focus on advanced manufacturing: technopole chief

Sunny Chai, chairman of the San Tin Technopole Company, emphasized the importance of targeting specific industries for development due to Hong Kong's limited land availability. He proposed that life sciences should be accommodated at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, while San Tin should concentrate on microelectronics, robotics, and green manufacturing.

Chai expressed satisfaction with the government's recent investments in innovation and technology, asserting that they were heading in the right direction. He also noted that Hong Kong's industrial land prices had historically been significantly higher than those in Shenzhen and Shantou, but the newly acquired Sandy Ridge supercomputing center's land price now matches that of the mainland cities.

Chai highlighted land prices and tax incentives as crucial factors in luring advanced manufacturing partners to Hong Kong. Additionally, he pointed out that the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement with mainland China has not been updated for quite some time and suggested that there is potential for enhancement. Chai assumed his position as the first chairman of the San Tin Technopole Company in May, serving a three-year term commencing on July 1.

The company, owned entirely by the government, will manage the development of 210 hectares of land for innovation and technology purposes within the technopole.