HONG KONG, April 22, 2025 — Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu embarked on a four-day visit to Zhejiang province, a burgeoning tech hub in mainland China, leading a high-level delegation to strengthen technological and economic ties. The visit, which began on Tuesday, underscores Hong Kong’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration amid global geopolitical challenges.
Lee’s first stop was the Zhejiang University-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, a hub for industry-academia-research collaboration. Local officials briefed the delegation on advancements in Hong Kong-Hangzhou tech partnerships, including breakthroughs in semiconductor materials that address critical technological bottlenecks. In a Facebook post, Lee praised the center’s role in driving innovation, noting its success as a model for integrating research and industry. He emphasized that deeper tech exchanges between Hong Kong and Hangzhou would contribute to national development.
The Chief Executive highlighted Zhejiang University’s inclusion in Hong Kong’s Top Talent Pass Scheme, which has enabled over 4,000 of its graduates to pursue careers in Hong Kong. This initiative reflects Hong Kong’s strategy to attract top talent to bolster its innovation ecosystem.
In the evening, Lee attended a dinner hosted by the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in Zhejiang, where he met with Hongkongers and representatives of Hong Kong enterprises. He encouraged them to leverage Hong Kong’s unique position as a “super connector” to facilitate Zhejiang companies’ global expansion while attracting foreign investment to the region.
A key focus of the trip is exploring Zhejiang’s technological advancements, particularly the rise of Hangzhou’s “six little dragons”—six leading tech startups, including DeepSeek, Game Science, Unitree Robotics, Deep Robotics, BrainCo, and Manycore Tech. DeepSeek, notably, developed an AI model with under US$6 million, showcasing cost-effective innovation. Lee plans to visit a city gallery showcasing these companies and meet their representatives, though it remains unclear if DeepSeek’s founder, Liang Wenfeng, will attend.
Government insiders revealed that Hong Kong aims to capitalize on the US-China trade war by attracting these startups to list on its stock exchange, positioning the city as a gateway to global markets. The official itinerary includes investment promotion and economic cooperation forums, but technology remains a central theme.
On Wednesday, Lee will attend a high-level Hong Kong-Zhejiang cooperation meeting in Hangzhou, where agreements on technology, housing, trade, and youth development will be signed. A government statement described the establishment of a formal cooperation mechanism to enhance mutual benefits. The delegation, which includes Chief Secretary Eric Chan, Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, and five other secretaries, reflects the visit’s significance.
Lee will also visit Ningbo to attend investment and economic forums and meet provincial and mayoral officials. He expressed enthusiasm for learning about Hangzhou’s rapid tech growth, recalling his previous visit for the 2023 Asian Games. “This trip will deepen Hong Kong-Zhejiang ties, injecting new momentum into our economies, innovation, and livelihoods,” he wrote on social media.
The delegation, one of the largest of its kind, includes key figures such as Secretaries for Technology, Commerce, Housing, Mainland Affairs, and Youth. Lee is scheduled to return to Hong Kong on Friday, April 25.