Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) John Lee on Thursday pledged efforts to create a new chapter for the development of innovation and technology in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

Hong Kong will seize the historic opportunities offered by the country's 14th Five-Year Plan to build itself into an international center for innovation and technology, Lee said at a forum on GBA innovation and technology cooperation.

He said measures to gear up Hong Kong's innovation and technology development will be proposed in his policy address, which is expected to be delivered on Oct. 19 this year.

Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang said in his video speech at the forum that the ministry will continue to support the building of an international innovation and technology hub in the GBA, and further open up national sci-tech programs to Hong Kong and Macao through inter-departmental efforts.

Last year, Hong Kong's total research and development (R&D) expenditure exceeded 26.5 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 3.38 billion U.S. dollars), a record high, and the number of start-ups has increased to about 4,000, official data showed.

Hong Kong ranked first in Asia and second globally in the World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2021, produced by the IMD World Competitiveness Center, with its performance in technology being rated first in the world.

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