The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has expressed its enthusiasm following the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) announcement that the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster has secured the second position globally in its latest Global Innovation Index for the fifth consecutive year. This recognition underscores the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) pivotal role in the international landscape of science and technology innovation.
WIPO’s Global Innovation Index 2024, released today, highlights the impressive achievements of leading science and technology (S&T) clusters worldwide. The Tokyo-Yokohama cluster in Japan continues to hold the top spot, while the GBA cluster’s performance showcases its ascent in the innovation arena.
The WIPO rankings are based on critical metrics, including the density of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications and the volume of scientific articles published in esteemed research journals. According to the report, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster filed an impressive 2,303 PCT applications per one million inhabitants from 2019 to 2023. Additionally, it published 3,469 scientific articles per million inhabitants during the period of 2018 to 2022, both figures reflecting an upward trend from previous evaluations.
The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasized the importance of the GBA as a strategic component of the national S&T innovation system. Officials reaffirmed their commitment to fostering innovation and technology development by bolstering basic research capabilities and enhancing the local innovation ecosystem.
“We will accelerate the transformation and commercialization of research outcomes,” a government spokesperson stated. “Our goal is to promote new industrialization that aligns with our local strengths, contributing to the cultivation of high-quality productive forces.”
In a bid to strengthen collaboration, Hong Kong aims to leverage its unique advantages and enhance partnerships with sister cities in the GBA. By doing so, the government intends to create a more comprehensive and competitive innovation and technology industry chain, ultimately contributing to the nation’s ambitions for high-level self-reliance in science and technology.
As the GBA solidifies its position in the global innovation landscape, the Hong Kong SAR Government’s proactive approach aims to ensure that this vibrant cluster continues to thrive and contribute to the future of technology and innovation.
