Govt Nurtures I&T Talent

(To watch the 2021-22 Budget speech with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Financial Secretary Paul Chan proposed in his Budget today to set aside more funds to nurture innovation and technology (I&T) talent in Hong Kong. 

Over $200 million will be allocated to extend the IT Innovation Lab in Secondary Schools Programme to primary schools. 

In the coming three school years, funding of up to $400,000 will be provided to each subsidised primary school to roll out a Knowing More About IT Programme to enhance students’ interest and knowledge in information and technology through extracurricular activities. 

The Government will also regularise the pilot scheme which subsidises students who study science and technology in local universities to enrol in short-term I&T-related internships.  

To promote research and development (R&D), Mr Chan proposed to inject a total of $9.5 billion into the Innovation & Technology Fund by two yearly instalments. 

The first batch of about 20 R&D laboratories under the InnoHK Research Clusters will begin operation progressively in the first quarter of this year. 

For the air cargo sector, the Government will actively explore measures to facilitate trans-shipment through Hong Kong to maintain the city’s competitive edge as an international air cargo hub. 

It will also redevelop the Air Mail Centre at Hong Kong International Airport and aims to bring the centre into operation by the end of 2027 at the earliest to support the postal industry’s long-term development in the Greater Bay Area.