InnoEX 2025 Kicks Off in Hong Kong: A Global Celebration of Innovation and Technology

Opening remarks by SITI at Welcome Dinner of InnoEX 2025

Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Welcome Dinner of InnoEX 2025 today (April 12):

Margaret (the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), Ms Margaret Fong), 徐常委 (Member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ms Xu Xiaolan), 任秘書長 (the Secretary General of the World Internet Conference (WIC), Mr Ren Xianliang), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Hello! 你好! What a thrill to have you all here this evening! A very warm welcome to friends from around the world to the InnoEX 2025 in Hong Kong.

This welcome dinner is a prelude to the InnoEX 2025, Hong Kong's signature exhibition on innovation & technology (I&T) to start tomorrow. Also an anchor event of our vibrant Business of Innovation and Technology Week (BIT Week), InnoEX 2025 can be "digitised" into the magic figure of "12345" –

1 vision to connect global I&T power;

2 much to anticipate;

3 years in a row;

4 incredible days of a full programme from April 13 to 16; and

5 frontier tech areas we are going to focus on.

InnoEX returns stronger and bigger this year, from countries and regions - from Hong Kong, Macao, and 16 Mainland provinces and cities, to France, Canada, India, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea, and across ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations). Joining us first-time also include those from Australia, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Malaysia, Sweden, and Luxembourg.

To the familiar faces and all new friends, thank you so much for bringing your tech, your creativity and your interest to our city!

This year's theme of InnoEX – "Innovate • Automate • Elevate" says it all: only with innovation powering the engine, automation steering the course, our journey towards a more prosperous economies and societies could be elevated to the next higher level.

The five tech areas we focus this year, namely artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, low-altitude economy, and smart mobility, are the components of this autonomous vehicle, leading us to a better and smarter future.

Indeed, these aren't just tech and small parts of an engine. They fundamentally change the way we work, connect, interact and grow. They change how we see the future.

And right here at InnoEX, you'll see how these agents are applied in different places around the globe, and how ideas translate into impact on industries and people.

As the brand InnoEX implies, Hong Kong is also witnessing the exponential power of innovation. We may be like a GPU (graphics processing unit) in terms of physical size, but Hong Kong is huge in terms of innovative power - top-notch R&D (research and development), five world-class universities, 16 State Key Laboratories, and a staunch supporter of free economy and international partnerships. This is how we fuel novel ideas, groom talents, attract investment, and build an increasing robust I&T ecosystem.

And we believe innovation thrives when people come together - across sectors and borders, and blending cultures and values. That's what the BIT Week and InnoEX are all about: a global stage with no boundaries and limits. This spirit of connection is echoed at the World Internet Conference Asia-Pacific Summit happening soon at this convention centre.

So this evening, we are here to start conversations; to cultivate friendships; and to scale possibilities. Whether you are a policymaker, buyer, exhibitor or tech leader - there is always a space here in InnoEX for you to spark something big.

Before I close, my heartfelt thanks to our incredible partner, HKTDC, and my fellow colleagues at the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau and the Digital Policy Office for their hard work. You have made this possible.

To our guests: please enjoy the evening, get ready for four exciting days ahead, and make the best out of InnoEX! Thank you.

Opening remarks by SITI at Welcome Dinner of InnoEX 2025 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Labour Department responds to Office of The Ombudsman's direct investigation report

Regarding the report released by the Office of The Ombudsman (the Ombudsman) today (April 16) on its direct investigation into the"Government's Regulation of Occupational Safety and Health in the Construction Industry", the Labour Department (LD) expressed its gratitude for the work of the Ombudsman in the direct investigation and its valuable comments on the LD's current work. The LD is examining and studying the report in detail and will actively follow up on the relevant recommendations.

The LD attaches great importance to the occupational safety and health (OSH) of the construction industry. The department is pleased to note that the Ombudsman affirmed and recognised its numerous effective work efforts in enhancing the OSH of the construction industry, including (i) amending the OSH legislation to increase the maximum penalties for OSH offenses; (ii) revising a number of codes of practice to strengthen safety requirements for specific work processes; (iii) conducting special enforcement operations to curb unsafe work practices; (iv) improving mandatory safety training courses and enhancing the supervision of course providers; and (v) promoting a culture of safety through various channels.

Meanwhile, the LD has been taking various follow-up actions on the recommendations in the report, including (i) planning to start a trial of using small unmanned aircraft to assist in law enforcement in the second half of 2025 and exploring the adoption of speech-to-text technology to assist in taking statements, thereby improving the efficiency of frontline officers in law enforcement and evidence collection; (ii) broadening the participation of safety committee meetings to cover high-risk private construction sites with a poor safety performance to enhance risk monitoring; (iii) strengthening monitoring of safety practitioners to ensurethey willdischarge their duties cautiously; and (iv) enhancing the monitoring of mandatory safety training course providers and instructors' performance.

An LDspokesman said, "In addition to the above measures, the LD will actively study and follow up on other recommendations raised by the Ombudsman, and strengthen the collaboration with the Development Bureau and the Buildings Department. The LD will continue to adopt a three-pronged strategy, including inspection and enforcement, publicity and promotion as well as education and training, complemented by the application of technology, to actively promote and foster an OSH culture in the construction industry, enhance workers' OSH awareness and prevent accidents."