Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Thursday that she hopes the anti-epidemic fund set by the government will benefit embattled tech startups amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
During a visit to the Hong Kong Science Park, Lam said the business environment of technology enterprises, particularly startups, has become difficult since the second half of last year and the recent epidemic has even worsened the situation.
In response, the HKSAR government proposed to use the fund to provide tenants and startups at the Hong Kong Science Park, industrial estates and Cyberport a six-month rental waiver, with about 1,800 tenants expected to benefit from it, she said when meeting heads of some startups.
Lam said she hopes the measure will help retain innovation and technology (I&T) capability and talent, enabling Hong Kong to relaunch the sector's development down the road, adding that the government will consider rolling out more support measures.
Lam said the fund also proposed to provide subsidy to participants and organizers of exhibitions and conventions, and she believed the I&T industry will also benefit from the initiative.
She added that she looks forward to the early passage of the funding application of the anti-epidemic fund by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council.
During the visit, Lam also learned about the research and development of the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Center which had developed and produced nearly 2,000 electronic wristbands to monitor whether people under compulsory quarantine are staying at their dwelling places.
