Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto)

Acting Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO), Mr Gavin Yeung, briefed Canadian healthcare professionals and investors on Hong Kong’s strengths and latest developments in healthcare infrastructure at a webinar co-organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council in Canada, Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) in Canada, and Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (Ottawa Chapter) on March 20.

In his opening remarks, Mr Yeung highlighted Hong Kong’s rapid development and advantages in the field of innovation and technology. “Hong Kong is the only city in Asia with five ‘Top 100 universities’,” he said. “Together with two of the world’s top 40 medical schools, Hong Kong boasts world-leading research and development (R&D) capabilities, offering the city significant advantages in developing life and health technologies.”

Mr Yeung cited that Hong Kong has set up flagship research clusters at the Hong Kong Science Park including Health@InnoHK, which collaborates with world-renowned universities and research institutes to drive research on healthcare technologies.  

“To facilitate R&D activities and transformation outcomes, we have committed HK$6 billion (CAD$1.1 billion) in funding for universities and research institutes to establish life and health technology research institutes in Hong Kong,” Mr Yeung added.

Looking ahead, Mr Yeung said that Hong Kong will continue to leverage its unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” and develop into an international innovation and technology centre, as well as a health and medical innovation hub in the Asia-Pacific region.

Before closing, Mr Yeung encouraged participants to join a Canadian healthcare delegation to Hong Kong for the Asia Summit on Global Health and the Hong Kong International Medical and Healthcare Fair in May.

Head of InvestHK (Canada), Mr Christopher Chen, also spoke at the webinar providing an overview of the healthcare and research ecosystem in Hong Kong, highlighting the city’s edges in the healthcare industry development.