My departure from Hong Kong has “nothing to do with” the state of academic freedom in the city, said Joseph Sung, medical professor and former Vice-Chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Sung mentioned his upcoming appointment as the dean of the medical school at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU). There is ample room for collaboration between NTU and academic institutions in Hong Kong in various medical fields, including artificial intelligence, said Sung, who hopes to spend the last few years of his career contributing to those areas.

The gastroenterologist was hailed in Hong Kong and Asia for his role in battling the SARS epidemic back in 2003. He announced his departure in August, shortly after Beijing imposed a new national security law on the city. His new appointment will begin next April.

With another half a year remaining in Hong Kong, he hoped that the coronavirus pandemic will be less severe by then. There are many experts in Hong Kong who can lend their expertise to the situation and his departure has little impact, said Sung.

Sung has met with a number of epidemiologists from Singapore during the SARS outbreak in 2003 and noted the similarities between the two places, including the high number of tourists. The two cities can exchange ideas and information in terms of epidemic control, Sung added.

When asked about the intense Chinese backlash against Hong Kong microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung who called out Beijing’s poor handling of the epidemic, Sung turned away without offering a comment.

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