Chief Executive John Lee on Thursday said Hong Kong is starting a new chapter in the digital economy, in the hope of becoming an international innovation and technology centre.

Speaking at the Digital Economy Summit 2023, Lee said the SAR government is looking to enhance competitiveness and speed up development in order to foster a smart future and reconnect Hong Kong with the rest of the world following the pandemic.

"The adoption of digital technologies is now part of the new normal today around the world everywhere. The digital economy offers a way forward for businesses and individuals alike, providing opportunities for growth and resilience in the face of uncertainties," he said.

Lee said President Xi Jinping announced in Beijing last month that the mainland will fully implement a development strategy driven by innovation to increase Hong Kong's scientific and technological capabilities.

The territory can be a launch pad for foreign companies to gain access to the Chinese market, the CE said.

"We will also forge ahead with the construction of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen I&T Park. With a gross floor area of 1.2 million square metres, the park is set to become Hong Kong's largest-ever I&T platform," Lee said.

"Together with neighbouring land and its counterpart the Shenzhen I&T Zone, the area will form the 540-hectare Shenzhen-Hong Kong I&T Co-operation Zone. It will power the rise of the Greater Bay Area as one of the world's I&T hubs and provide bountiful opportunities for innovators and dreamers from all over the world.

"It is our top priority to ensure that the business and investment prospects in Hong Kong will continue to flourish in the years to come."