The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Legislative Council launched a three-day joint debate on the first five-year plan and the 2026 Policy Report. The Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Chen Guoji, said that implementation of the plan is the key to success. The HKSAR Government will take the initiative and actively push for implementation of the plan.
In his opening remarks, Chen Guoji said that implementing the Hong Kong Five-Year Plan is a vast and complex systemic project. There must be a sound implementation mechanism to ensure that the macroscopic blueprint can be transformed into actual results. The plan clearly establishes a public administration framework of “Five-Year Plan leadership, annual policy implementation, fiscal budget support, annual duty reporting”.
Chen Guoji said that the five-year plan involves six major areas, including strengthening the four major centers and building high-altitude talent centers; consolidating and enhancing international competitive advantages; deepening the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area construction and building a global cooperation network; accelerating the construction of northern metropolitan areas; effectively improving the well-being of the people; and coordinating development and security.
He said that the most important main axis of the five-year plan is to fully utilize the unique advantages of relying on the homeland and connecting the world under “one country, two systems”, to better integrate and serve the overall development of the country. At the same time, it highlights Hong Kong‘s international positioning and deepens international exchanges and cooperation. This main axis of internal connection and external communication serves two fundamental goals, namely to develop the economy and improve the lives of the people.
Speaking, the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Chen Maobo, said that the international political and economic situation is still complex and volatile, posing challenges to the global economy. Nevertheless, the Hong Kong economy grew 5.1 per cent annually in the first half of this year, marking the strongest half-year performance in the past five years. He was confident that the Hong Kong economy would grow by 3.5 to 4.5 per cent throughout this year, according to revised forecasts.
Chen Maobo said that the current good momentum in Hong Kong‘s economy has not come easily, and we must anchor a direction for sustainable high-quality development in the next phase. This year is the year of the opening of the national “15th Five” planning, and the HKSAR Government has taken the initiative to respond to national planning, actively integrate and serve the national development big picture. We must strive to contribute to national development while at the same time seeking long-term development for Hong Kong.