The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is making more efforts to building Hong Kong into an innovation and technology center of the 21st century, a senior Hong Kong official said on Monday.

Speaking at the "Hong Kong - Building a Technology Frontier" forum sponsored by Hong Kong Young Entrepreneurs Development Council, Secretary for Trade and Industry Chau Tak Hay said Hong Kong "has to do more" if it wants to keep its competitive edge in the innovation and technology field.

To this end, the government is launching a range of programs to offer support in the sector, including the planned merging of Science Park, the Industrial Estates Corporation and the Industrial Technology Center Corporation, according to Chau.

The government established the Innovation and Technology Fund in July this year with an initial injection of 5 billion HK dollars (641 million US dollars) to support projects that contribute to innovation and technological upgrading of Hong Kong' s industries, Chau said.

Since the majority of enterprises in Hong Kong are small and medium sized, the government also introduced the Small Entrepreneur Research Assistance Scheme to help these enterprises develop innovative concepts or produce prototypes, Chau said.

Under the Scheme, qualified projects will be given a grant of not exceeding 2 million HK dollars (256,410 US dollars), Chau said, adding that the government is hoping the Scheme will help cultivate a vibrant spirit of technological entrepreneurship among the "budding companies". (Xinhua)