City University of Hong Kong (CityU) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Renmin University of China (RUC) on 27 March for research collaboration on opportunities for Hong Kong’s professional services under the Belt-Road Initiative (BRI).

 

The MOU was signed by Professor Lu Jian, Vice-President (Research and Technology) of CityU, and Professor Mao Shoulong, Executive Director of the Academy of Public Policy at RUC. Guests in attendance included Dr Jing Chaoyang, Director of the Regional Cooperation and Opening Up Institute at International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission (ICC-NDRC), Professor Alex Jen Kwan-yue, Provost at CityU, and Professor Linda Li Che-lan, Professor in the Department of Public Policy at CityU and Convenor of the Sustainable Hong Kong Research Hub.

 

After the signing ceremony, Professor Cao Wenlian, Director General of ICC-NDRC, delivered a keynote speech entitled “One Belt One Road Initiative and International Production Capacity Cooperation – Discussion on Opportunities for Hong Kong”. In his speech, Professor Cao introduced the initiatives and development of the BRI and Hong Kong’s related roles and strengths.

 

Following the speech was a seminar on “One Belt One Road – Opportunities for Hong Kong”. In the seminar, Professor Mao, Dr Jing, Mr Nicholas Kwan Ka-ming, Director of Research of Hong Kong Trade and Development Council, and Mr Stephen Wong Yuen-shan, Deputy Executive Director of Our Hong Kong Foundation and Head of Public Policy Institute exchanged their views on the topic with those in attendance.

 

The signing ceremony and the seminar were hosted by CityU’s Sustainable Hong Kong Research Hub. The Hub has obtained HK$3.4 million in funding from the Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme by the Central Policy Unit for the research project “Hong Kong Professional Services in the Co-Evolving Belt-Road Initiative: Innovative Agency for Sustainable Development”.