Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government delegation visits PolyU to deepen university-local government collaboration, empowering industrial upgrading through I&T

A delegation from the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government visited The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) on 27 May. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation); and Prof. ZHENG Zijian, Vice President (Knowledge Transfer), alongside PolyU research teams, engaged in in-depth exchanges with the delegation. Centering on government-university-industry collaboration, the translation of research achievements and the cultivation of international talent, the discussions were productive and further deepened the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government-PolyU partnership to promote industrial upgrading through innovation and technology, achieving mutual benefits for both parties.

Led by Mr ZHANG Wenjie, Mayor of the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government, the delegation included Mr CHEN Hongming, Secretary-General of the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government; Mr CHEN Hancun, Mayor of Ruian; Mr YE Xunjun, Mayor of Longgang; Mr GU Wei, Director of the Wenzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau; Mr ZHOU Junwu, Director of the Wenzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Office (Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office); and Mr XU Haiyan, Director of the Wenzhou Municipal Investment Promotion Bureau.

Prof. Jin-Guang Teng extended a warm welcome to the delegation and shared the University’s latest progress in discipline development, research innovation, knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship and social service. He highlighted that PolyU had established 12 technology and innovation research institutes across Chinese Mainland. Among them, the PolyU-Wenzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute has defined four core developmental directions: building an entrepreneurship centre, an international talent exchange centre and a technical service centre, as well as leveraging the University’s scientific and technological prowess to empower the regional development of Southern Zhejiang and Northern Fujian. These initiatives will not only enhance the regional influence of Wenzhou’s sci-tech platforms but also attract premier domestic and overseas talent to the region.

Describing the visit as a valuable “journey of learning,” Mr Zhang Wenjie highly commended PolyU’s formidable research capabilities, and expressed his eagerness to leverage the University’s cutting-edge technological experience to inject new momentum into Wenzhou’s industrial innovation and development, as well as his heartfelt gratitude for PolyU’s long-standing support of the City’s technological and industrial growth. He remarked that, as 2026 marked the commencement of the Nation’s “15th Five-Year Plan,” Wenzhou was accelerating its efforts to double manufacturing quality, promote technological innovation and advance “Digital Transformation 2.0” in manufacturing. He looks forward to deepening university-local government collaboration with PolyU and pursuing further pragmatic initiatives through the PolyU-Wenzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute.

Representatives from both parties exchanged insights on industrial cultivation, talent acquisition and technological innovation at a symposium, while also discussing a range of new collaboration initiatives. The delegation then visited PolyU’s State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology and the Radiotherapy Planning and Treatment Simulation Laboratory, gaining first-hand understanding of the University’s leading achievements in ultra-precision machining and manufacturing equipment, as well as AI-driven medical applications. Members were also briefed on the progress of the collaborative “AI + Healthcare” initiatives between PolyU and Wenzhou Medical University.

Proposals presented during these exchanges received positive responses from the delegation. Mr Gu Wei pledged full support to implementing facilitating measures for these collaborations. He noted that Wenzhou was striving to become a “Pioneering City for AI Innovation” and the “First City for AI Exemplary Applications,” and eagerly anticipates closer ties with PolyU in the AI sector. Wenzhou will also encourage private enterprises to invest in high-tech ventures and apply for National and provincial key projects in partnership with PolyU.

The bilateral partnership is built on a solid and deep foundation, with PolyU being the first Hong Kong university to establish a technology and innovation research institute in Wenzhou. This visit marked a fresh milestone whereby both parties will further leverage the PolyU-Wenzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute to co-establish joint research centres, combining their respective strengths and achieving two-way empowerment. By fostering seamless integration of research outcomes and local enterprises’ demand, PolyU will support Wenzhou’s efforts to overcome industrial bottlenecks and achieve industrial cluster transformation, contributing its expertise to the City’s high-quality development and the Nation’s technological self-reliance.

***END***