Chief Executive John Lee said he was confident the SAR would grasp the opportunities brought about by Beijing’s 15th Five-Year Plan to help both Hong Kong and the nation become stronger and more prosperous.

Delivering his opening address at the Hong Kong Economic Summit on Monday, Lee said the administration was accelerating with the formulation of its own five-year plan from 2026 to 2030, which would offer clear guidelines for socio-economic and livelihood development to better align with the nation’s goals.

"As a special administrative region of the country, Hong Kong must adopt a broader perspective and contemplate deeply to better understand the strategic goals of the plan, and accurately recognise our mission, and the significant opportunities that lie in integrating with, and serving the nation's broader development," he said.

He noted that the local consumption and business environments had improved this year, along with a fall in interest rates.

The government would bolster its efforts in improving the well-being of residents for them to share the fruits of economic growth, he added.

As a super connector and a super value-adder, the CE said Hong Kong would deepen its cooperation with Greater Bay Area cities and help shape it as world-class bay area.

The SAR is also expanding its global trade network, including stepping up exchanges with emerging economies in the Global South, he added.

He noted that there were uncertainties in the global economic outlook, due to the complex and volatile geopolitical situation, and disruptions to supply chain and economic order due to tensions.

Hong Kong should seize the opportunities amid the shifting landscape, he added, saying that the rise of the Global South, the reshaping of the global trade landscape, the accelerated development of AI and the ongoing digital transformation, and the drive of sustainable development have all injected vitality and brought about opportunities to the global economy.


Edited by Tony Sabine