The cities of Hong Kong and neighboring Shenzhen agreed on Monday to work with chemical industry giant DuPont on the establishment of a solar energy research and industrial platform at the Hong Kong Science Park.

According to the letters of intent signed on Monday, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation will take the lead to establish solar energy research and development support center at the Hong Kong Science Park.

DuPont will join the center as the first anchor tenant by locating its global thin film photovoltaic business, research and development center in the science park.

Shenzhen, a city neighboring the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and known as the leading experimental farm in economic reforms on the Chinese mainland, will collaborate with Hong Kong to provide land and other facilities to support the downstream development and manufacturing of solar energy products.

The solar energy research and support platform is the first major technology co-operation project launched under the Shenzhen- Hong Kong Innovation Circle, John Tsang, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, said at the signing ceremony.

"We are pleased that DuPont has chosen to locate its global thin film photovoltaic business, research and development center in Hong Kong. This reinforces our position as a prime location for innovation and technology-based companies in the region," he said.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen have been stepping up co-operation in various fields with an increasing degree of economic integration between Hong Kong and the mainland. The two cities signed the agreement on the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle in May 2007.

"Shenzhen-Hong Kong co-operation is to congregate the edge of resources for the two places, as to be more competitive internationally," said Liu Yingli, chairman of the Shenzhen side of the Steering Group on Shenzhen/Hong Kong Co-operation in Innovation and Technology, citing the solar energy research project as an example.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2008)