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Latest Statistics
Research and Development (R&D) Expenditure and Number of R&D Personnel
2017  
2018
R&D expenditure(1) (HK$ million)
21,280.4  
24,497.0  
   By performing sector
      R&D expenditure in the business sector (HK$ million)
9,412.3  
10,992.5  
      R&D expenditure in the higher education sector (HK$ million)
10,837.1  
12,356.6  
      R&D expenditure in the government sector (HK$ million)
1,031.0  
1,148.0  
   By source of funds
      R&D expenditure financed by the business sector (HK$ million)
10,640.5  
12,024.6  
      R&D expenditure financed by the government sector (HK$ million)
9,697.2  
11,496.1  
      R&D expenditure financed by the parties outside Hong Kong and
      other local parties (HK$ million)
942.7  
976.3  
R&D expenditure as a ratio to GDP (%)
0.80 @
0.86 @
   R&D expenditure in the business sector as a ratio to GDP (%)
0.35 @
0.39 @
   R&D expenditure in the higher education sector as a ratio to GDP (%)
0.41 @
0.43 @
   R&D expenditure in the government sector as a ratio to GDP (%)
0.04 @
0.04 @
Number of R&D personnel (in full-time equivalent)
32 355  
33 576  
   Number of R&D personnel in the business sector (in full-time equivalent)
12 792  
13 156  
   Number of R&D personnel in the higher education sector (in full-time equivalent)
18 655  
19 482  
   Number of R&D personnel in the government sector (in full-time equivalent)
908  
938  
Use of Information Technology by Households
2017  
2018  
Proportion of Households with access to the Internet at home(2) (%)
-  
92.3  
Proportion of households with personal computer at home (%)
80.9  
75.3  
Proportion of households with personal computer at home connected to the Internet (%)
80.2  
75.1  
Use of Information Technology by Businesses
2017  
2019  
Proportion of business establishments using computers (%)
79.6  
80.9  
Proportion of business establishments using the Internet (%)
87.7  
90.3  
Proportion of business establishments with a web presence(3) (%)
33.6  
38.3  
(1) Following international guidelines, the estimates of implicit user cost of R&D facilities have been included in the R&D expenditures as from the reference year of 2018.  The 2018 R&D expenditure figures are not directly comparable with those of earlier years.  The R&D expenditure for 2017 has also been recompiled according to the enhanced estimation method and was HK$22,213 million with the implicit user cost of R&D facilities included.  Please refer to the Annex given in the report "Hong Kong Innovation Activities Statistics 2018" for details.
(2) Figure is available from 2018 onwards.
(3) Web presence refers to the situation whereby an establishment has a website/webpage or presence on another entity’s website (including the website of a related business). Inclusion in an online directory and any other web pages where the establishment does not have substantial control over the content of the webpage are excluded.
@ Figures are subject to revision later on.

Press Release Series

 Latest Release Date Upcoming Release Date
Survey on Information Technology Usage and Penetration in the Business Sector 26 Feb 2020 -
Hong Kong Innovation Activities Statistics 23 Dec 2019 -
Hong Kong as a Knowledge-based Economy - A Statistical Perspective 6 Sep 2019 -
Hong Kong as an Information Society 28 Jun 2019 -
Annual Survey of Innovation Activities in the Business Sector 24 Oct 2008 -
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