Mr Lei Haichao, Minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) of the People's Republic of China, led a delegation to HKU on 13 January 2026.
Mr Lei Haichao, Minister of the National Health Commission (NHC) of the People's Republic of China, led a delegation comprising representatives of the NHC, the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO) of the State Council, accompanied by Professor Lo Chung-mau, the Secretary for Health of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, visited The University of Hong Kong (HKU) on 13 January 2026. The delegation met with Dr Peter Wong, Chairman of the HKU Council; Professor Xiang Zhang, HKU President and Vice-Chancellor; Professor Lau Chak-sing, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health); Ms Isabella Wong, Associate Vice-President (China Affairs); Professor Kenneth M.C. Cheung, Hospital-Chief-Executive of the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital and representatives from HKU.
The visit included a roundtable discussion, during which Dr Peter Wong delivered welcoming remarks. Dr Wong said, "As a key institution within the nation's higher education system, HKU has nurtured generations of exceptional medical professionals throughout its long history. Looking ahead, we are committed to promoting the application of scientific research achievements, supporting innovative pharmaceutical technologies, and contributing to the 'Healthy China' initiative."
During the discussion, Professor Xiang Zhang provided an overview of HKU's progress in international rankings, academic development, talent cultivation, breakthrough research achievements, knowledge transfer, and innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as the University's future direction. Professor Zhang reaffirmed HKU's commitment to fostering cross-border and interdisciplinary research to address global challenges.
Professor Zhang stated, "Under the 'One Country, Two Systems' framework, universities in Hong Kong enjoy significant flexibility, enabling us to leverage the nation's strengths while maintaining global connectivity. As an international talent hub, HKU could act as a vital bridge for the nation and the world in science and technology—attracting world-leading researchers while offering young Chinese Mainland scientists the opportunities for frontier international collaboration in Hong Kong."
Mr Lei Haichao highly commended HKU's contributions in talent attraction and cultivation, basic research, and internationalisation. Mr Lei also lauded the University's achievements in translating innovative healthcare technologies into practical applications, as well as the accomplishments of HKU-Shenzhen Hospital. Mr Lei emphasised the importance of strengthening collaboration between Hong Kong and Chinese Mainland in healthcare, as well as underscoring the value of global partnerships in advancing health technology innovation.
The delegation visited the HKU Biomedical Imaging Laboratory, an interdisciplinary research hub jointly established by the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine. The laboratory pioneers research examining the relationships between anatomical structures, physiological functions and neural activities in both healthy and diseased states. Its work focuses on developing advanced imaging technologies and computational methodologies for animal and human studies, while also engineering next-generation MRI solutions to improve precision medicine and healthcare accessibility.
At the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing, the delegation explored HKU's award-winning healthcare innovations. These included: SmartRehab, an AI-powered platform for personalised home rehabilitation; LiverCube, a precision diagnostics and treatment system for liver cancer; mskalign, a multi-agent intelligent platform for spinal condition management; Vitogram® - a portable AI-driven cardiac monitor; and Diamond Fabrication Technology, which enables production of ultra-thin, flexible diamond films for medical applications.
