Chief Executive John Lee announced on Wednesday that he will deliver both the city’s first five-year plan and the annual Policy Address on September 16.

He made the announcement after paying a visit to Un Chau Estate in Cheung Sha Wan where he met with residents there.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Lee noted that the arrangement is to make it easier for the public to understand the government's policy direction.

"The arrangement is to make it easier for people to understand how the five-year plan and the Policy Address are closely connected and share a continuous, coherent relationship," he said.

"By reading the five-year plan together with the Policy Address, people will be able to better understand how the government will adhere to the direction and strategies set out in the five-year plan, turning the blueprint into policy measures and move forward."

Lee said he will set out various performance indicators in this year’s Policy Address as "annual milestones".

The five-year plan will be announced in Legco, to be followed immediately by the release of the Policy Address.

"By releasing the Policy Address immediately after the announcement of Hong Kong's first five-year plan, I aim to help the public better understand the close interconnection between the two documents," Lee said in a statement.

"Hong Kong's first five-year plan sets out the blueprint for the city's economic and social development over the next five years, and is a forward-looking, strategic and directional guiding document. The Policy Address serves as an annual report on the chief executive's implementation of Hong Kong's first five-year plan and sets out the key policy priorities for the year in response to the prevailing circumstances. The two are inextricably related."


Edited by Edmond Fong