weekly
Written by: Yang Yingwei
2021-06-21 20:00
Last update date: 2021-06-21 20:01
From the government to the citizens, there have been too many hesitations about the development of technology.
SMIC, DJI Technology, and countless Hong Kong companies from Beijing to Shanghai, too many opportunities for the development of science and technology have been before the Hong Kong government, but they have not cherished them.
Hong Kong people generally believe in the joke of "High Tech 揩叩嘢, Low Tech 揩嘢". Seeing that Singapore has accumulated a lot to achieve an economic miracle and Shenzhen's GDP has surpassed Hong Kong, they still don't believe that technology can cause water splash in Hong Kong.
This is the third of a series of reports on Hong Kong's cutting-edge technology development
To undertake the above:
Cutting-edge technology.
1｜How Hong Kong takes advantage of this opportunity to build a new Silicon Valley in the world
Cutting-edge technology. 2｜The pain of de-technology: "Silicon Harbor" is still in a fetus, falling into a vicious circle
Hong Kong is a highly economic society, and cutting-edge scientific research is the most difficult thing to talk about economic benefits.
"The development of science and technology in the Mainland is talking about "a sword in ten years." Hong Kong dare not do it, or even dare to think about it." Huang Jinhui sighed, "In the past 30 years, we have been relatively short-sighted." He took this short-sightedness. Blame it on the thinking formed during the British-Hong Kong period, "Because of the return soon, everyone wants to spend money as soon as possible. They don’t even think about long-term investments, so they engage in the service industry and engage in "speculation"... correct."
It is not just the responsibility of universities and the scientific and technological innovation community to study the technology of "10 years of grinding a sword" and build an "international innovation and technology center."
This not only requires the business sector to change the mode of investment in technology, but also requires the government to have a forward-looking layout, policy inclination and financial investment in the "top-level design", and to formulate a blueprint to counter the "short-sightedness" of chasing economic benefits in the market with "long-term planning". ".
Huang Jinhui, deputy dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said, "The development of science and technology in the Mainland is about "a sword in ten years." Hong Kong dare not do it, or even think about it."
Market shortsighted conservative rulers bureaucratic rigidity
Huang Jinhui's short-sighted and conservative attitude can be seen in technology investment.
Licensing and Liu Zhentao, as entrepreneurs from the same background in science and technology parks, have contacted many investment institutions in the Mainland, Hong Kong and overseas.
Xu Xu said, "Hong Kong investors have less doubts about technology, but they are not so bold when making decisions." In the end, they are willing to "invest" in a business model that they can understand.
For example, a team like Li Zexiang of the University of Science and Technology of China would choose to invest in "micro-innovation in a mature model," such as drone transformation technology, instead of investing in "hard technology beyond the scope of cognition."
Licensing summary: "Hong Kong investors are not as brave as mainland investors. Mainland investors are more courageous to invest even if they do not understand authoritative institutions and technical principles."
Liu Zhentao recalled that he had been on a business trip in Silicon Valley and found that the venture capital atmosphere in the United States was bolder.
"Silicon Valley investment is very simple. You can make money by investing in ten (start-ups) and middle three. Because they have won, they will not "pecks" every one. Hong Kong has never won once, of course it will be conservative!" He described Hong Kong people do not have money, but they do not have an atmosphere of innovation and technology investment, and their knowledge of venture capital in technology is even more backward. "When you talk to the fund, they don’t believe you will succeed. They think you are lying to him. But doing business must have Risk, otherwise what is venture capital? Buying a floor is better!"
Hengguang Semiconductor CEO Liu Zhentao used to work as an electronic engineer at Motorola. He is now starting his business in the Science Park in his 60s.
(Profile Picture / Photo by Gong Jiasheng)
Not only the business sector, but the attitudes and governance models of the governments and public organizations of the Mainland and Hong Kong towards technology start-ups are also very different.
Since the "14th Five-Year Plan" set the tone for the development of cutting-edge technology, start-up companies with semiconductor patents such as Langsi and Hengguang have not only become "a battleground" for mainland investment institutions, but also in the eyes of mainland local governments. Quality resources.
Liu Zhentao gave an example. He led a team to participate in a science and technology competition in the Mainland. Before the competition, officials from the Wuxi and Ningbo municipal governments came to meet with the teams.
"Wuxi government speaks, regardless of whether the game wins or loses tomorrow, 33 teams present here, as long as they are willing to settle in Wuxi, the government immediately gives 10 million yuan (RMB)! Then the Ningbo government came over again and said the same thing!"
He said, targeting semiconductors. For enterprises, the three local governments of Nanjing, Wuzhen, and Hefei have provided great financial subsidies, as well as subsidies for house purchases and children's education. "The total amount will not be less than 20 million yuan (RMB)." Don't forget to remind you. Reporter, "You must write to the Hong Kong government. This is what is happening in reality!
"
Licensing uses the "Shenzhen Angel Fund of Funds" to illustrate the soberness and activeness of the mainland government. "The Shenzhen government is very good because they clearly realize that Shenzhen's local scientific research resources are insufficient, so they will use the "Angel Fund of Funds" to attract research. Resources, technology resources." Shenzhen Angel Fund of Funds is a technology venture capital fund invested and initiated by the Shenzhen Municipal Government, with a scale of RMB 10 billion.
The Angel Fund of Funds signed contracts with some local technology venture capital companies in Shenzhen to implement a 1:1 funding package to strategically invest in some short-board start-ups in Shenzhen.
Lance Technology has recently received several million yuan in financing from the "Inno Angel Fund", which is also one of the companies that have signed contracts with the Angel Fund of Funds.
Licensing revealed that the Shenzhen Angel Fund of Funds hopes to attract "hard technology" projects, and is more interested in Hong Kong's strong basic research advantages. Therefore, it has "specialized indicators" in recruiting Hong Kong teams. "This is the reason why people contact us."
Construction site of Shenzhen Guangming Science City startup area (drone photo).
(Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Dawei)
In contrast, the funding mechanisms of the Hong Kong Administration and Science Park are much more rigid and conservative.
Liu Zhentao described the entry procedures of the Science Park as extremely complicated, "In fact, it is really useless for the bureaucracy to engage in engineering! It is really useless to take care of the documents!"
He sighed, filling in the documents is simply a burden for them. It is in discourage. (Not encouraged) People who are interested in starting a business.
Licensing expressed similar views.
Lance Technology is a start-up hatched from a university. After receiving the top funding from the University Technology Startup Grant Program (TSSSU), it will enter the Science Park "exempt from examination", but it also needs to fill in the assessment plan and budget.
"The (plan) of the Science Park is the most detailed one I wrote for a long time since I started my business. It's really annoying!" Xu Li said, shaking his head.
Li Zhan promoted a specific example. Hengguang Company once filled out a plan for applying for the Enterprise Support Plan (ESS). Among them, the most difficult to understand is to fill in the milestone. "The plan will happen if I want to write it in two years. What’s the matter", when to accomplish what goal.
Liu Zhentao criticized that scientific research itself is an exploratory process. "Innovation and technology are "created". It is difficult to predict the future.
"If I find a new breakthrough, should I continue to research? You want me to do what I wrote first. If a new invention does not meet milestone and the revision (assessment) fails, then forget it. He criticized this kind of governance method that is neither innovative nor scientific. "The technical level does not have the turn of the civil servants to give pointers. I respect your management ability and economic thinking, but you must also respect the experience and knowledge of science and engineering."
Hong Kong Science Park.
(Profile Picture / Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Liu Zhentao lamented that if it wasn't for Wuxi to be too far away from Hong Kong, he did consider moving the company there. "Conversely speaking, if Hong Kong has such conditions, I still have to think about leaving?" He said that mainland officials "come here." Very sincere (sincere) offer to help", Hong Kong is a dazzling "application process." "You really can't blame those talents who go back to the mainland after they finish their studies. Your policies are not favored (encouragement)!"
"Hong Kong must have its own technology and talents"
It can be seen that the
lack of a venture capital atmosphere is not just a business problem. It is largely due to the lack of a consensus on the value of technology in Hong Kong from top to bottom, from the government to the business community, and even ordinary citizens. They also do not believe that Hong Kong can make itself. The technology brings huge economic benefits.
When Chen Qingquan went to Singapore for investigation, it was the early stage of Hong Kong's return, and everything was in the exploratory stage.
He recalled that when he visited Singapore’s officials responsible for technological development, he
emphasized to him that "Hong Kong is no longer a colony, but an independent economy." "Hong Kong must have its own technology and talents."
Chen Qingquan, the first academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering in Hong Kong, clearly criticized that the leaders of Hong Kong should not only show the importance of science and technology, but also come up with "top-level design."
(Profile Picture / Photo by Gong Jiasheng)
This is a well-known principle, but it is a pity that policymakers in the past did not understand the essence-to develop technology as one of the strategic goals of the long-term development of the economy.
"Technology" in the eyes of the SAR government is just a ranking of high-ranking universities. It is a business model for improving productivity. It is a modern smart city. It has never been a "future industry". It is also unclear how much technology can increase the competitiveness of the economy. What kind of changes the social structure brings.
Therefore, for more than 20 years after the reunification, Hong Kong has seen a large number of advanced manufacturing and high-tech enterprises flow north, but does not know how to keep them. A series of technological blueprints such as Silicon Port and Cyberport are either "dead-embedded" due to political resistance. It was reduced to a "real estate project" due to the change of government, and relied on rent collection to reverse its profits and losses.
The importance and priority of the development of the four traditional pillar industries of finance, trade, shipping, and tourism are also far ahead of the development of innovation and technology.
Three feet of freezing is not a day's cold.
Chen Qingquan clearly criticized that the leaders of Hong Kong should not only show the importance of science and technology, but also show a "top-level design."
What is meant by "valuation" and "top-level design"?
He gave an example of himself. From a student to an academician, he has experienced the "three historical periods" of the development of science in China. He felt the exchanges between three Chinese leaders and scientific personnel on the spot. They were: then Premier Zhou Enlai's national knowledge in 1956 The slogan "Push into Science" put forward by the CCP; then Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping put forward the "Four Modernizations" and "Science is the First Productive Force" in 1978 at the National University of Science and Technology; President Xi Jinping put forward at the 2016 Academician Conference of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Sciences The goal of a "technological power".
The Secretary for Innovation and Technology Xue Yongheng (second from right) today (April 29) together with the Permanent Secretary for Innovation and Technology Cai Shuxian (third from right) and Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Technology Zhong Weiqiang (first from right) with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University The sponsors of the Bay Area Academician Alliance met, hoping to use the strength of the Academician Alliance to provide insights for the development of science and technology in Hong Kong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Using these three historical periods as examples, Chen Qingquan urged Hong Kong’s leaders to "from thought to planning" form a "top-level design" for the development of science and technology. "China has a "medium and long-term development plan for science and technology" and a "five-year national economic development." Planning", this is the top-level design, and Hong Kong will start to have these too."
Liu Zhentao explained with a simpler metaphor, "In the past, the Chengmen River was dirty and sloppy. The government threw money in and shoveled the entire river bottom. Now there are fish and birds. You have to create an ecological environment. You must do this. He pointed out that if the government wants to promote technological development, it must "substantial reforms", long-term layout of the science and innovation ecology and formulating incentive policies. "Investment is based on policies. If policies are not encouraged, companies and factories will not land. Come here." He explained that the science and technology industry is different from other industries in that the payback cycle is relatively long. "If there is no strong support, those companies will "die" every minute."
Chen Qingquan pointed out that the central government is determined to build the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into "the best bay area in the world."
The picture shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
(Profile picture)
Chen Qingquan concluded that if Hong Kong wants to develop cutting-edge technology and move towards an "international innovation and technology center", it must achieve "three understandings" at the planning level.
First, Hong Kong must understand itself, "It must be clear about the strengths and shortcomings of Hong Kong in terms of technology, before we can do top-level design." Second, Hong Kong must understand the needs of the country. "In the colonial era, Hong Kong had no technology Demand. Large companies need technology, which can be bought from foreign countries, so (universities) are writing papers. But now the country has demand, Hong Kong must use its advantages according to the country’s needs to make up for its shortcomings.” Third, understand the development of the world Direction, "There are four Bay Areas in the world. Silicon Valley is high-tech plus finance, New York is finance plus service industry, Tokyo is finance plus high-end manufacturing, and our Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is larger than them in terms of economic aggregate and area. A lot. The central government is determined to turn the Greater Bay Area into the best Bay Area in the world."
The above is excerpted from the 270th issue of "Hong Kong 01" Weekly (June 21, 2021) "How to use "Cutting-edge Technology" as a national policy to build a new Silicon Valley in the world". If you want to read the full text, please
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Highlights of the 270 issue of "Hong Kong 01" Weekly News:
[Cover report] "Cutting-edge technology" is included in the national policy, how to build a new Silicon Valley in the world
Can Hong Kong people turn a blind eye to the hundred years of the Chinese Communist Party?
The Shenzhou 12 manned spacecraft, the Chinese enter their space station for the first time
The charm of hand-made: interest turns into business, the industrial chain gradually takes shape
Let players "rule the world" blockchain subverts the traditional game model?
Turning search into a dialogue language AI fears to inherit human prejudices
In-depth report on the Cyberport 01 Weekly Report by the Bureau of Innovation, Technology, Industry and Technology, Science Park, Science Park, Greater Bay Area, "14th Five-Year Plan" Planning, Innovation and Technology Bureau
