Dong Sun Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Prof The Honourable
Native Name Lang:zh-hans
Caption:Sun in 2024
Office:Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry
Term Start:1 July 2022
Succeeding:Alfred Sit (Secretary for Innovation and Technology Bureau)
Office1:Member of the Legislative Council
Term Start1:1 January 2022
Term End1:18 June 2022
Constituency1:Election Committee
Predecessor1:New constituency
Successor1:Shang Hailong
Birth Place:Beijing, China
Citizenship:China (HK)

Dong Sun (; born 1967) is a Chinese scientist who is currently the Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Centre for Robotics and Automation at the City University of Hong Kong. He is also the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government. Sun is a pioneer in microrobotics and biomedical engineering, making numerous breakthroughs in robotic manipulation of cells for precision medicine.

Sun was named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 2015[1] for contributions to robot-aided manipulation of biological cells. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Sun founded a high-tech company at the Hong Kong Science Park, involved in technology transfers and conducting extensive applied researches in advanced robotics and motion controls with impactful contributions to industry and society. Sun and his company were recipients of Hong Kong Awards for Industry in 2004 and 2012.

Public service

Dong Sun is an elected member of the Committee for the Technology and Innovation Constituency. During the 2021 Hong Kong legislative election, Sun was elected to the 7th Legislative Council of Hong Kong for the Election Committee (constituency).

Sun has advocated for Hong Kong's development as an international science and technology centre, creating synergistic development with the Greater Bay Area. Sun has promoted the “Matrix Model of Science and Technology Innovation", calling for an integrated science and technology ecosystem supporting impactful scientific research, accelerated technology transfer, and the strengthening of competitive industries.

In January 2022, Sun was one of three people, out of 90 legislative council members, who took his oath using Mandarin rather than the local language, Cantonese.[2]

In June 2022, Sun was appointed Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, assuming office on 1 July 2022, making him the first bureau secretary of Hong Kong from mainland China.

On 8 October 2022, Sun defended the LeaveHomeSafe app, and said "We use the LeaveHomeSafe app system to support the government's anti-pandemic policies very successfully."[3] In contrast, a government pandemic advisor, David Hui, said the app should stop being used.[4]

On 23 October 2022, Sun warned that Hong Kong was lagging behind other cities and said the next few years will be Hong Kong's last chance to become a global innovation and tech hub.[5]

In November 2022, Sun met with employees of Google and "mounted solemn negotiations" about the search engine's ranking of Glory to Hong Kong.[6] Sun requested that Google "remove wrong information from the search results."[7] In March 2023, Sun said "We have been in negotiation many times hoping it would remove the wrong information, but it is regrettable that it has not taken corresponding measures."[8]

In July 2023, Sun said that Google had asked him to provide proof that Glory To Hong Kong was illegal, and therefore the Hong Kong government filed a motion to make it illegal; Sun said "Very well, since you brought up a legal issue, let’s use legal means to solve the problem."[9] In July 2023, the High Court rejected the proposed ban on the song.[10]

In August 2023, Sun said that he had "suffered a lot of pressure" from Kenneth Lau, over Lau's insistence to integrate villages into the San Tin Technopole plan.[11]

In May 2024, after the government set up an HK$2.8 billion fund for a semiconductor center in Hong Kong, Sun said that the government hoped Hong Kong would turn into a regional leader in semiconductors.[12]

Education

Research fields

Personal life

As of August 2022, Sun owns at least five properties,[13] with at least 4 registrable residential properties in Hong Kong and at least 1 registrable residential property in mainland China.[14] In 2023, a declaration of interests showed that Sun owned an apartment in Beijing.[15]

In August 2022, Sun was tested positive for COVID-19.[16]

References

HKEX:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2015 elevated fellow. https://web.archive.org/web/20150330134212/http://www.ieee.org/membership_services/membership/fellows/2015_elevated_fellows.pdf. dead. March 30, 2015. IEEE Fellows Directory.
  2. Web site: 2022-01-03. Lawmakers in Hong Kong new 'patriots-only' legislature sworn in by Chief Executive Carrie Lam. 2022-01-03. Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. en-GB.
  3. Web site: Standard . The . Health expert, govt united on use of LeaveHomeSafe . 2022-10-08 . The Standard . en.
  4. Web site: New Covid strain infections similar to BA.5: HA chief - RTHK . 2022-10-08 . news.rthk.hk . en-gb.
  5. Web site: Standard . The . Playing catch-up in fight for global tech hub status . 2022-10-24 . The Standard . en.
  6. Web site: Lee . Peter . 2022-11-25 . Hong Kong asks search engine to place correct national anthem info in top results following rugby row . 2022-11-26 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.
  7. Web site: Chau . Candice . Hong Kong working on improving SEO for official gov't sites following national anthem sport blunders - Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . 2023-01-12 . hongkongfp.com . en-GB.
  8. Web site: 2023-03-19 . Google's anthem results for Hong Kong have improved after optimisation: Sun Dong . 2023-03-19 . South China Morning Post . en.
  9. Web site: Leung . Hillary . 2023-07-03 . Google required proof that 'Glory to Hong Kong' was illegal, technology chief says . 2023-07-03 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.
  10. Web site: Chau . Candice . 2023-07-28 . Hong Kong court rejects gov’t application for ban on pro-democracy protest song . 2023-07-28 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.
  11. Web site: Chan . Irene . 2023-08-18 . Hong Kong rural body concerned over fate of villages amid plans for massive tech hub near border . 2023-08-18 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.
  12. Web site: 2024-05-17 . Hong Kong lawmakers approve HK$2.8 billion funding to set up semiconductor centre . 2024-06-16 . South China Morning Post . en.
  13. Web site: Standard . The . Treasury chief comes flat out on top . 2022-08-12 . The Standard . en.
  14. Web site: Li . Almond . 2022-08-12 . Treasury chief biggest property owner among Hong Kong top officials, gov't information reveals . 2022-08-12 . Hong Kong Free Press HKFP . en-GB.
  15. Web site: 2023-08-09 . 16 Hong Kong top advisers declare ownership of 110 properties, 450 plots of land . 2023-08-10 . South China Morning Post . en.
  16. Web site: 2022-08-29 . Sun Dong tests preliminarily positive . 2022-08-30 . Hong Kong's Information Services Department . zh-hk.