HKSTP Fosters Mainland-Hong Kong Collaboration for the Integrated Circuits Design Industry

(Hong Kong, 15 December 2014) - This year, the China Semiconductor Industry Association held the CSIA-ICCAD 2014 Annual Conference & China Mainland and Hong Kong IC Industry Cooperation and Development Summit (“ICCAD”) in Hong Kong for the first time. Representatives of business and industry associations as well as academia in Integrated Circuits (IC) research coming from Mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas gathered at Hong Kong Science Park Phase 3 on 11 December 2014. The two-day conference went through an in-depth discussion on the outlook, opportunities and trends of the Chinese and global IC and semiconductor industry; the latest IC design applications; competitive edge of Hong Kong’s IC industry development; and future collaboration between Mainland China and Hong Kong. 

HKSTP fosters Mainland-Hong Kong and overseas collaboration 

With the rapid development of the innovation-based economy, China has selected IC as a key industry in its five-year plan. Trends in cloud computing, big data, mobile computing and the Internet of Things also spur the IC industry in exploring ways to enhance communication and network technologies while reducing costs.

Mrs Fanny Law, Chairperson of HKSTP, said “HKSTP is an important executive body of the Hong Kong SAR Government to promote innovation and technology. It has been sparing no effort in driving the development of the IC industry since its establishment in 2001. Currently, there are more than 60 corporations conducting IC design and R&D of related applications in Science Park. HKSTP is also active in connecting experts from tertiary institutions and high-tech R&D institutions in Hong Kong with local and overseas IC companies for centralising research efforts and maximising the cluster effect.” 

In early December 2014, HKSTP was designated as “National High-Tech Industrialisation Partner Base for IC” by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (“MOST”), affirming the efforts and standards of HKSTP in promoting the IC industry.

There are currently five IC laboratories in Hong Kong Science Park, covering IC design, reliability test, failure analysis and other areas. In 2013, HKSTP established the first 3D Systems Level Packaging Lab in Southern China to fully promote the development of a new generation of IC technology and products. As one of the national industrialisation bases for IC, HKSTP will implement the strategies of “Coming In” and “Going Out” more actively to drive the local semiconductor and IC industry, thereby leading Hong Kong’s engineering and technology research professionals to participate in the national science and technology plan, and facilitating and accelerating the technology transfer between the Mainland and Hong Kong. 

Mr Allen Ma, Chief Executive Officer of HKSTP, said “This is the first time ICCAD was held in Hong Kong. HKSTP is very honoured to have experts coming to Science Park and discussing the innovative opportunities of the IC industry together. There are IC design companies of different sizes in Science Park, from multinational companies to local SMEs and start-up incubatees. Some focus on the development of IC and others develop related applications such as LED lighting and wearable devices. Some of the industry’s leading enterprises, for example Huawei, TCL, CEC and Infineon, have already established their office in Science Park for conducting R&D in high-tech products. HKSTP has recently reached a tripartite memorandum of understanding with Infineon and Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute to develop thermal management solutions for high power density applications tailored to the requirements of the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong markets.”

Mr Ma also pointed out that the many competitive advantages of Hong Kong, in regard to research professionals, applications for intellectual property rights, experience on patented transactions and the ability to integrate with the international community, can assist the IC industry in Mainland China in conducting R&D and moving towards the international market. Holding the ICCAD in Hong Kong will definitely expand the Mainland-Hong Kong collaboration for the IC industry, complementing and benefiting each other.

Pulling together leaders from the IC industry

ICCAD has attracted top-notch companies, industry associations and research experts from the Mainland, Hong Kong and overseas semiconductor and IC industry to share and exchange their thoughts. They included China Semiconductor Industry Association, Hong Kong Semiconductor Industry Association, Hong Kong Electronic Industries Association Limited, Federation of Hong Kong Industries, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, ANPAC, ARM, Cadence, GlobalFoundries, Mentor Graphics, Synopsys, SMIC, TSMC, UMC, VeriSilicon, Solomon Systech Limited and others.

At the ICCAD, several local research experts shared examples and opportunities of Mainland-Hong Kong exchange and cooperation, including the successful applications of Hong Kong IC design in China, electronic ASIC design automation technology, System-on-Chip IC design technology, Power Management IC design technology, power semiconductor filtering technology, and RF and mmWave IC technology, etc. 

Leveraging the competitive advantages of Mainland China and Hong Kong for a win-win collaboration

Hong Kong has the strengths and conditions to become the hub for innovation and technology within the Asia Pacific region. The deepening of Mainland-Hong Kong exchange is also beneficial to Hong Kong’s development in this respect and to technology companies in the Pearl River Delta region. In Hong Kong, we have research experts; international experience in patent applications and trading intellectual property rights; and ability to integrate with international enterprises; together with the rapid development of IC manufacturing and importing industry in Mainland China, we can definitely leverage the respective competitive advantages of the two to achieve a win-win collaboration in the semiconductor and IC industry.