From November 14 to 18, 2025, a delegation from the Hong Kong Academy of Industry and Innovation (HKAII), led by Founding Directors Professor Li Jiange and Senior Counsel Anthony Neoh, conducted an in-depth research visit to Suzhou and Nanjing in Jiangsu Province. The team held extensive exchanges with renowned local enterprises and financial institutions, alongside multiple industry events including a biopharmaceutical dinner seminar and an integrated circuit & semiconductor industry exchange forum.

The visiting members included Lü Benfu, Vice President of the China Innovation Alliance and Senior Research Fellow at HKAII; Lu Zhengwei, Chief Economist of Industrial Bank and Distinguished Research Fellow at HKAII; Shi Donghui, Professor of Finance at the Fudan University School of Economics and Senior Research Fellow at HKAII; Chen Xin, Professor at the Dishui Lake Institute of Advanced Finance, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and Senior Research Fellow at HKAII; together with Ge Jun, Dean of HKAII, and Cai Yuchen, Assistant Dean of HKAII. This research initiative aims to strengthen industry-academia-research collaboration, explore opportunities for innovative industrial cooperation, and drive coordinated development in industrial and financial sectors between Jiangsu and Hong Kong.

On the evening of November 14, the delegation hosted a biopharmaceutical industry dinner in Suzhou. Representatives from leading local biopharmaceutical enterprises and professional investment institutions focusing on healthcare and life sciences engaged in dynamic discussions over industry trends, emerging opportunities and existing development bottlenecks.

On the morning of November 15, an exchange session on integrated circuits, semiconductors and robotics was held with key local manufacturers and investment partners. Senior Counsel Anthony Neoh shared insights on trends in Hong Kong’s capital markets and their role in supporting industrial innovation, while Professor Lü Benfu delivered perspectives on the developmental boundaries and real-world applications of AI, sparking enthusiastic dialogue among attendees.

On the evening of November 15, the Suzhou Innovative Industry Dinner took place with participation from numerous high-potential innovative enterprises. Participants exchanged in-depth views on listing opportunities in Hong Kong and leveraging the city as a platform for global business expansion.

On the morning of November 17, the delegation first visited TICA Environment, a high-growth enterprise based in Nanjing. Mr. Jiang Li, Chairman of TICA Group, introduced the company’s progress across environmental technology and green energy sectors. The delegation was deeply impressed by its cutting-edge expertise in low-temperature power generation, geothermal energy and other renewable fields, as well as its global development achievements. Both sides exchanged views on green energy advancement and the application of frontier technologies.

On the morning of November 17, the research team also held exchanges with local entrepreneurs in Nanjing. Participants included leaders of well‑known enterprises across retail, high‑end manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, road engineering and other sectors. They engaged in lively discussions on the development of private enterprises, global expansion and risk prevention, while sharing views on trends in Hong Kong’s financial markets and related financing opportunities.

In the afternoon of November 17, a seminar titled Finance Empowering Sci‑Tech Innovation and the Real Economy was held in Nanjing. At the event:HKAII Distinguished Research Fellow Professor Lu Zhengwei shared in‑depth insights on financial services for enterprises going global and strengthening financial support for closed‑loop innovation;HKAII Senior Research Fellow Professor Shi Donghui offered unique analysis on the development trends of the A‑share market amid the global landscape;HKAII Senior Research Fellow Professor Chen Xin presented new financing models for technology enterprises, illustrating their characteristics and practical implications at different growth stages with real‑world cases.

The three presentations were warmly received. Representatives from local financial institutions and innovative tech firms also shared their experience in financial services and industrial innovation, fostering thorough dialogue on how finance can better support corporate innovation and the real economy.

This research visit enabled the HKAII team to gain first‑hand understanding of cutting‑edge practices in Jiangsu’s key innovative sectors including biopharmaceuticals, healthcare, integrated circuits and semiconductors. It further strengthened connections between HKAII and local enterprises and financial institutions, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration on industrial coordination and financial innovation. Moving forward, HKAII will continue integrating field research with seminars to deepen industry–academia–research integration and promote broader cross‑sector exchanges and cooperation.