HONG KONG -- Hong Kong on Thursday inaugurated an artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Hong Kong Science Park, as part of a broader effort to help with the city's building of an international innovation and technology hub.

The Lion Rock AI lab of China Merchants Group is reportedly aimed at breaking through key technologies, promoting the industrialization and application of scientific research achievements, and accelerating the cultivation of new quality productive forces.

Notably, the lab is committed to building a team of high-level innovative talents who both love Hong Kong and have excellent capabilities, reports said.

In his address, Miao Jianmin, chair of China Merchants Group Limited, said that the "Lion Rock Spirit" of Hong Kong means being diligent, pioneering and enterprising, among others, and is also an important driving force for the innovation and development of Hong Kong.

The founding of the Lion Rock AI lab precisely aligns with its spiritual connotation, and is expected to guide and usher in breakthroughs in AI-related innovation and technology as well as industrial change, thus contributing to Hong Kong's building of an international innovation and technology hub, Miao said.

Sun Dong, secretary for innovation, technology and industry of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, hailed the lab as Hong Kong's first cutting-edge technology research and development platform, saying that its establishment represents a vote of confidence in Hong Kong's commitment to advancing AI, robotics and relevant industries.