Policy Advocacy

Budget Submission 2022-2023

Path of Democracy, 24 November 2021

Path of Democracy fully supports the technology-based economic development model for Hong Kong’s future as described in the spatial planning of the “Twin-City, Three Circle” of the Northern Metropolis of the Policy Address. We would like to see the budget to anticipate the “soft” side Hong Kong’s economic future as the future emerges in the next five to ten years [i]. In the Mainland and in Singapore, such work is coordinated National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and by Economic Development Board of Singapore respectively.

Specific “From Belief to Implementation” initiatives the budget should support include:

1. Encouraging universities and think tanks to work together with the HKSAR Government to propose implementation plans for the “software” for the technology-based economic development model that aims at transforming Hong Kong into an “International Innovation and Technology Hub” (Paragraph 54 of Policy Address).
2. Soft support should extend beyond “hard” (scientific and technology) R&D and innovation support and include activities such as:
3. Education and training in commercialization and tech-based entrepreneurship in cooperation with universities in Hong Kong.
4. Patent awareness, patent development and patent protection training skills (e.g. work done by IP Academy of Singapore [ii])

• Consensus building with the Shenzhen Government and promotion of the technology-based economic model to the public.

1. International network and promotion of Hong Kong as an International Technology Hub (sometimes referred to as “Technology Diplomacy”).
2. Participating in international technology transfer networks (e.g. Enterprise Europe Network [iii] owned by the European Union).

Alan Lung

• Co-convenor (International), Path of Democracy

Path of Democracy

Notes:

[i] STDN article on opportunities and risk of the Northern Metropolis: 【慎思而行】「北部都會區」的機遇和挑戰

[ii] IP Academy of Singapore was established in 2003, it is now the education and training arm of IP Office of Singapore (IPOS is the equivalent of Intellectual Property Department of HKSAR Government).

https://learning.jobscentral.com.sg/short-courses/profile/ip-academy-singapore/39139/

[iii] Enterprise Europe of Network (EEN) was established in 2008. It is the world’s largest technology support and transfer with 600 member organizations in 60 EU and Non-EU countries and territories.