On the 21st, Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, stated at a meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Commerce, Industry and Innovation that establishing a National Manufacturing Innovation Centre in Hong Kong is both necessary and strategically important. At the meeting, he introduced the proposed plan to build the first overseas manufacturing innovation center in Hong Kong. Sun Dong stated that the innovation center will focus on the new generation of power semiconductor technology for extreme environmental applications, led and operated by the Hong Kong Microelectronics Research and Development Institute. The innovation center will be launched in 2026 in the form of "joint construction between the Hong Kong and the Ministry", constructing a public technology platform covering comprehensive research and development and pilot testing. After being put into operation and meeting relevant conditions, it can be upgraded to a national level manufacturing innovation center according to the procedure. Sun Dong said that currently, all 33 national manufacturing innovation centers are located in mainland China. In 2024, the SAR government signed an agreement with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to explicitly support Hong Kong's participation in the construction of such major national projects. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's 2026/2027 budget has proposed to reserve approximately HKD 220 million. Establishing an innovation center in Hong Kong can not only align with the country's technological and industrial planning direction, but also leverage the unique advantages of Hong Kong's existing semiconductor ecosystem. This is not only a full recognition of Hong Kong's innovation and technology capabilities by the country, but also a strategic opportunity for Hong Kong to leverage its own advantages and serve the overall development of the country. If supported by the Legislative Council Panel on Commerce, Industry and Technology, the SAR government plans to seek approval from the Legislative Council Finance Committee for the relevant funding in the second half of 2026. (New Society)