The theme of the 2026-27 Price range, the fourth Price range of the current-term Authorities, is “Driving Excessive-quality, Inclusive Progress with Innovation and Finance”.
Hong Kong SAR’s Monetary Secretary, Paul Chan, delivers the 2026-27 Price range right now (February 25)
“Over the previous yr, on account of the booming financial system and capital market, our tax income has elevated. Coupled with the bolstered fiscal consolidation programme steadily bearing fruit, our public funds have improved before anticipated,” Mr Chan stated.
The Monetary Secretary revealed that Hong Kong’s Consolidated Account was anticipated to register a surplus of $2.9 billion within the present fiscal yr, as a substitute of a deficit of about $67 billion as initially estimated. The Working Account for 2025-26, which was initially estimated to report a deficit of about $3 billion, will register a surplus of $51.3 billion, he stated.
It was additionally confirmed that Hong Kong’s financial system expanded by 3.5% in 2025, with progress forecast to be between 2.5% and three.5% for 2026.
Mr Chan famous that this yr marks the start of the Nationwide fifteenth 5-12 months Plan, and he pressured the necessity for Hong Kong to actively align with the Plan.
“Our nation’s sustained high-standard two-way opening-up, coupled with scientific and technological innovation, have introduced us with new alternatives,” he stated. “We should embrace the fifteenth 5-12 months Plan with an modern mindset, fostering new high quality productive forces in accordance with native situations.”
Mr Chan set out a sequence of measures to drive I&T improvement, together with establishing the Committee on AI+ and Business Improvement Technique; taking ahead the Sandy Ridge information facility cluster challenge; selling AI coaching; and accelerating digital intelligence transformation of the Authorities.
“We’re urgent forward with the industrialisation of AI and deepening its integration throughout varied industries, whereas encouraging wider AI utility, thereby reaching the goal of adoption and utilisation by all,” he stated.
The Worldwide Medical Trial Academy will, he stated, even be established to assist allow the Chinese language Mainland’s biomedicine know-how to go world, appeal to overseas funding, and assist develop Hong Kong into a global well being and medical innovation hub.
To facilitate the event of recent industrialisation, the Price range has earmarked assets for establishing in Hong Kong the primary nationwide manufacturing innovation centre exterior the Mainland, and the New Industrialisation Elite Enterprises Nurturing Scheme will likely be launched.
The Authorities will promote the complete integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation via key infrastructure, together with the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Know-how Innovation Co-operation Zone, and the San Tin Technopole within the Northern Metropolis.
To help monetary companies, Hong Kong will proactively align with nationwide improvement methods, advance the internationalisation of the Renminbi, and repeatedly reform the securities market.
The Authorities will legislate this yr to reinforce tax regimes for household workplaces and funds, in addition to set up licensing regimes for digital asset dealing and custodian service suppliers.
“Regardless of the advanced and ever-changing exterior surroundings, Hong Kong’s monetary market has carried out strongly and our monetary system stays strong,” Mr Chan stated. “We are going to proceed to consolidate our present strengths, faucet into rising fields, strengthen market methods and danger management and deepen monetary co-operation within the GBA (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Higher Bay Space).”
Noting that Hong Kong noticed a year-on-year 12 per cent improve in customer arrivals final yr, which had created enterprise and job alternatives for associated sectors, the Price range will allocate $1.66 billion (US$212 million) to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).
“The HKTB will scale up its flagship occasions and promotion, introducing new parts and increasing occasion length, and organise extra signature festive occasions to spotlight Hong Kong’s East-meets-West uniqueness,” Mr Chan stated.
The Price range additionally earmarks a further funding of $1 billion (US$128 million) for the Constructed Heritage Conservation Fund to complement metropolis tradition. Elsewhere, the Authorities will launch the Northern Metropolis City-rural Integration Fund as a pilot scheme to help rural tourism initiatives.
To additional promote sports activities improvement in Hong Kong, the Monetary Secretary will inject $1.2 billion (US$154 million) to the sports activities portion of the Arts and Sports activities Improvement Fund.
Mr Chan stated that the worldwide surroundings has remained unstable over the previous yr, and Hong Kong has continued to endure financial transformation.
“Technological innovation, specifically the event of AI, has introduced us a mixture of alternatives and challenges. But, Hong Kong has at all times thrived amid adjustments and progressed via innovation. We should make full use of our strengths and leverage the resolute help of our nation to hurry up and scale up our financial improvement sustainably for creating higher improvement alternatives for the individuals and enhancing their high quality of life,” Mr Chan stated.
For extra particulars on the 2026-27 Price range, click on right here.
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