On August 28 2017, the signing ceremony of the strategic cooperation agreement between the Southern Science and Technology University and Futian District’s Government was held in Futian, Shenzhen. The agreement is part of the larger guidelines of the twelfth Party Congress in Guangdong Province, which aim to contribute to the national “Belt and Road” project, as well as the Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay area strategy, which plans to build an innovation zone for the development of international science and technology and industrial innovation. Through this agreement, the two sides committed to a solid strategic partnership set within a scientific and technological backdrop, with projects on education cooperation, personnel cooperation, think tank and incubation cooperation and other aspects of comprehensive cooperation.

Futian District Party Committee Secretary Xiao Yafei, District Deputy Secretary and Mayor Gao Shengyuan, Deputy Mayor Liu Zhiyong, Associate Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong Huang Yiqian, Southern University of Science and Technology Chairperson Guo Yurong and President Chen Shiyi, Vice-President Wu Chuanyue, as well as the leaders of various faculties and departments of the university and of Futian District’s Branch Bureau, Organization Department, Development and Reform Commission attended the signing ceremony.

At the signing ceremony, Xiao Yafei pointed out that on January 3 this year, Hong Kong and Shenzhen formally signed the “Memorandum of Cooperation on Hong Kong and Shenzhen to promote the common development of Lok Ma Chau Loop”, which is the first scientific research institution in mainland China to enter the Hetao area, which is at the center of a development campaign aimed at boosting economic and technological activities.

Guo Yurong then took over to say that SUSTech and Futian District were enthusiastically implementing collaborative projects inline with the spirit of the 12th Party Congress to help build a scientific and technological innovation corridor in the Shenzhen area. This collaboration is founded on specific initiatives which were agreed, based on the long-term and where each party can contribute complementary advantages to build a win-win relationship. SUSTech will use its advantages to inject skilled and qualified young workers specialised in science and technology areas, and in close cooperation with Hong Kong University and other well-known educational institutions in the region. The project to develop the Lok Ma Chau Loop’s geographical advantages and future development will bring together the brightest talents from the region to promote the project, and effectively contribute to the construction of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao Bay area.

The two sides will carry out collaborative projects in the near term, including but not limited to science and technology, education, think tank and incubation. Examples of this are the establishment of the Sino-British Institute of Artificial Intelligence, the “SUSTech – Hong Kong University” Joint Laboratory, SUSTech Business School, SUSTech – Columbia University International Business School and a high-tech innovation incubator.