Prof Wong, Prof Nambiar, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Cancer is now the leading cause of death and public health issue in the Asian Pacific region. Multi-disciplinary efforts to tackle this health issue have gained momentum in this region. These efforts include prevention, public education, early detection, treatment, counseling, rehabilitation and hospice care. All these are inter-related. Hence it is important that there are venues for professionals of all disciplines to gather together and share their experiences and be updated on the latest developments.

In order to offer a high level of health care, and especially quality evidence-based cancer management, our health care personnel must be adequately trained. The Hong Kong SAR Government is committed to maintaining Hong Kong's position in science and technology, and its professional services, and regards this a high priority.

The Asia Pacific Cancer Conference has a long tradition in serving this purpose. This year Hong Kong is privileged to play host for the 14th APCC in conjunction with the 4th Hong Kong International Cancer Congress. On behalf of the people of Hong Kong, I would like to extend to you a most hearty welcome and am grateful for your participation. Your presence here will guarantee not only the success of this Conference, but will also bring valuable contributions to add to the experience of our local experts for the better treatment of our cancer patients. I sincerely hope that such benefits will be mutual.

I would also like to take this opportunity to share with you some ideas that the University Grants Committee (UGC) of Hong Kong, of which I am Chairman, has regarding the development of research in our higher education institutions, particularly in the area of medical and clinical research; I believe these ideas relate very well to what the conference aims to achieve -- to highlight state-of-the-art developments in the different frontiers of cancer care and management.

Although Hong Kong has a relatively short history in academic research, nevertheless public funding for research administered by the Research Grants Council (RGC), which operates under the aegis of the UGC, has increased significantly in recent years, rising from HK$100m in 1991 to HK$423m this year. This represents an annual increase of about 20%. In the context of a recent study on the UK science base, Hong Kong was also identified as one of the territories with the fastest growth in the number and impact of its research outputs.

Besides funding from the RGC, which is awarded to individual researchers from the universities on a competitive basis, there are other sources of funds that are available for research, including the block grant from the government. Total research expenditure on clinical medicine and pre-clinical studies (i.e. from all sources including both public and private sources) in 1995 amounted to HK$450m. This figure represented about 17% of the total research expenditure of the whole tertiary sector, and was about 70% more than it was two years earlier.

Meanwhile the UGC has developed a sophisticated system - according to Nature, perhaps the most sophisticated one in the region -- for assessing the quality of the research output of university academic staff, as an input to determining the allocation of part of the institutional recurrent funding for research. I am happy to say that in the RAE conducted in 1996, more than 70% of the clinical academic staff in the two medical schools at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong met the 1996 RAE quality standard, which was defined as "Quality of output equating to an attainable level of excellence appropriate to the discipline in Hong Kong, and possibly showing some evidence of international excellence."

These figures demonstrate a number of points. The UGC and the RGC are constantly seeking to raise the quality threshold for publicly funded research to try to improve the standards of scholarship in our institutions. These efforts have been recognized internationally.

The figures also suggest that our medical academics have fared very well and are performing above the norm in both the RAE and in the competition for research project grants. Nevertheless I would like to call on our two local medical schools to do more in the area of clinical research training so as to ensure that we not only have sufficient practitioners, but also sufficient clinical researchers to keep up with rapid developments in world class medical research. I would also like to see more medical practitioners in Hong Kong, including those in the Hospital Authority, engaging themselves in research. Hong Kong has a strong base to build on as the regional center of health care. A stronger research base will only help to foster our strength.

I hope that the Government will continue to provide more funding for research. Although the Government has in recent years increased significantly the funding for academic research, and established a number of other funding bodies to promote applied research and development, the quest for new knowledge should be given full support. Furthermore, our levels of funding for academic research are still by no means high by international standards. Besides building Hong Kong as the regional center of health care, we should also be striving to become a regional center of education. These centers will in turn help Hong Kong develop higher value added businesses, the only direction that Hong Kong can go to remain competitive.

Finally, besides attending the scientific sessions, I hope you will also find time to visit our vibrant and dynamic city and her neighbouring cities in your spare time.

I now declare the 14th Asia Pacific Cancer Conference and 4th Hong Kong International Cancer Congress open!