In a captivating encounter that transpired on a scorching summer afternoon, Wang Yang, a distinguished figure in the realm of pure and interdisciplinary mathematics, shared his insights with a young journalist, Aden Su, during his 10th year of tenure at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Wang’s discourse revolved around the profound realm of mathematics and the evolving tide of “embracing the GBA,” referring to Hong Kong’s integration into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. This interaction took place as part of the China Daily Hong Kong Edition’s Junior Scoop initiative, a platform that offers the youthful perspective on the city’s landscape.
Seated in his office overlooking the sea, Wang Yang conveyed his thoughts on the esoteric domain of mathematics and the trajectory toward the Greater Bay Area integration. With visionary prowess, Wang embarked on a journey that brought transformation to HKUST’s landscape, culminating in its digital metamorphosis in Clear Water Bay. Furthermore, Wang spearheaded the establishment of the HKUST(Guangzhou) campus in Guangzhou, a monumental project valued at 30 billion yuan ($4.16 billion), effectively charting the university’s expansion northward within the Greater Bay Area. With twin campuses firmly established, HKUST, a youthful institution with just over three decades of existence, aspires to ascend as a burgeoning academic conglomerate on the global stage.
Beyond his pivotal role in advancing the frontiers of the Greater Bay Area, Wang Yang, an alumnus of Harvard, envisions Hong Kong’s dominance in the emergent realm of the metaverse. HKUST initiated the MetaHKUST initiative across its campuses, ushering in a wave of “digitalization measures.” These encompassed multifaceted strategies, from fusing two geographically distant campuses into a single cohesive virtual entity to issuing diplomas in digital formats endowed with unique blockchain imprints.
For Wang, MetaHKUST serves as a precursor to a grander vision—to elevate Hong Kong into a metaverse powerhouse. Over time, he has espoused the belief that the city possesses all the requisite elements to forge a future-shaping trajectory within the evolving Web3 landscape, as the realms of physical and digital continue to converge. Today, Wang stands as a prominent torchbearer, ardently advancing the nascent and promising digital industry within the Special Administrative Region (SAR) and beyond.
The bedrock principles of data flow, personnel mobility, material exchange, and fund transfer underpin the formula for catalyzing economic growth in Hong Kong and fellow GBA cities. Wang Yang envisions transforming Hong Kong into the “greatest city” within the metaverse realm, harnessing its prowess in research, finance, and its pivotal role as the bridge connecting the Chinese mainland with the global arena.
By channeling efforts into fostering the digital economy through the Web3 ecosystem, the SAR government can pave the way for a thriving future, marked by an evolved economic structure and boundless prospects for value creation in everyday life, as articulated by Wang.
While the promise of the digital economy is palpable, its intricate ecosystem often eludes individuals like Su—a forward-looking eighth-grade student aspiring to become a doctor. Wang Yang adeptly demystified this ecosystem for Su, offering a comprehensive overview through the lens of the Greater Bay Area’s regional division.
With a population of seven million, Hong Kong stands as a relatively compact entity. Therefore, Wang elucidated that the innovation borne within HKUST necessitates an ecosystem for translation into marketable products, ultimately forging connections with the rest of the world, particularly the mainland. The symbiotic relationship between market demand and supply forms the crux of this ecosystem, as aptly explained by the professor. The interactive display of a sophisticated drone at the Cheng Kar-Shun Robotics Institute—one of HKUST’s foremost research institutes—left Su astounded. The drone, with its vision capabilities, allowed Su to engage in an enthralling interaction, akin to a young Jedi in a Star Wars saga.
Junior Scoop, a multimedia initiative driven by China Daily Hong Kong Edition, provided the platform for Wang to express his fondness for the city’s youth and his aspirations for their trajectory. He ardently conveyed that embracing open-mindedness not only fosters individual growth but also bolsters the city’s collective prosperity.
As Wang Yang endeavors to elevate Hong Kong to new echelons of metaverse prominence, he stands as a beacon of inspiration and innovation, laying the foundation for a future where the realms of academia, technology, and imagination intertwine in harmony.
