HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 September 2026 – Hong Kong’s Chief Govt, John Lee, took half in a radio phone-in programme this morning (September 18), fielding questions in regards to the First 5-Yr Plan for Financial and Social Improvement of the Hong Kong Particular Administrative Area (HKSAR) (2026-2030) and his fifth Coverage Tackle, which had been unveiled on Wednesday (September 16).
Quizzed on numerous points of the HKSAR Authorities’s new blueprint for financial and social improvement, Mr Lee stated the inaugural 5-Yr Plan set out 5 major targets for Hong Kong: higher livelihoods for all; breakthroughs in financial improvement; increasing international competitiveness and affect; sooner improvement of the Northern Metropolis; and to higher serve the nation.
On increasing international competitiveness, Mr Lee stated the Authorities would make good use of its worldwide networks.
“The energy of Hong Kong is its worldwide standing, and we’ve been emphasising on how we make sure the internationalism or the ‘internationalness’ of Hong Kong. We’re increasing to cowl each a part of the world the place we are able to attain,” Mr Lee stated, noting that the Authorities had workplaces, together with Financial and Commerce Places of work, and the workplaces of Make investments Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Commerce Improvement Council, in nations around the globe. “I’m very critical about increasing our community.”
Since taking workplace 4 years in the past, Mr Lee has led delegation visits to areas, together with ASEAN Member States, the Center East, and not too long ago Central Asia. “And my colleagues actually go extra usually to completely different components of the world, so for South Africa, and likewise Kenya and these are the very fashionable African locations that my colleagues go to go to,” he added.
To spice up Hong Kong’s affect in abroad markets, Mr Lee highlighted the instance of the Worldwide Group for Mediation (IOMed).
“We’re very proud to have the headquarters of IOMed arrange in Hong Kong, as a result of that is an organisation which is of United Nations standing,” Mr Lee stated. He added that a world workplace can be arrange in Hong Kong below the worldwide community of corruption prevention authorities. “Hong Kong is a world metropolis, which not simply is excellent at doing enterprise, however is exercising its duty as a world participator, and likewise, we actually can contribute.”
“And that is additionally essential, as a result of it simply means how, in numerous areas, Hong Kong is doing very nicely, and likewise very related to the world. And never simply being a member, however being a contributor, being actually a driver, and we need to share our good experiences, and likewise be taught from different experiences.”
The First 5-Yr Plan and the 2026 Coverage Tackle positioned robust deal with rushing up the event of the Northern Metropolis (NM) challenge, in order to spice up long-term financial improvement, enhance folks’s livelihoods and assist the town to additional combine into total nationwide improvement.
“The Northern Metropolis represents about one third of our geographical space. So it’s a massive piece of land that provides us new alternatives. A possibility to improve ourselves, each from the lodging angle in addition to improvement angle,” Mr Lee stated.
Past the town’s core financial strengths equivalent to finance, transport and commerce, Mr Lee stated the NM would offer room for diversifying native industries, creating new jobs and a brighter future as extra improvement alternatives emerge from completely different sorts of industries in addition to nearer alignment with nationwide improvement.
“The NM is definitely talked about in our nation’s fifteenth 5-Yr Plan. Meaning it’s not only a Hong Kong improvement, it has been elevated as a state-driven challenge. And with the elevation of place, we must work exhausting. And I’m certain that the Central Authorities may also assist us to make sure that this will probably be successful story.
“And so, doing the 5-Yr Plan has this benefit. We are going to capitalise on all of the alternatives that the state may give us. On the similar time, we are going to stay very totally related to the worldwide world. So we’ve the fantastic thing about each worlds.”
Requested about Hong Kong’s strategy to adopting synthetic intelligence (AI), Mr Lee careworn the necessity to benefit from the alternatives introduced by AI, whereas additionally defending in opposition to the dangers of AI, in areas equivalent to crime, fraud, sexual abuse and potential unfavourable impacts on youthful folks.
“Final 12 months, we discuss very a lot about how we should always profit from the appliance of AI, the way it will do issues sooner, and the way it may also do issues extra appropriately,” Mr Lee stated.
“So whereas we develop and guarantee folks perceive and use it, we additionally want to inform everyone the potential dangers that it’ll carry.”
Mr Lee stated the Authorities would create a publish of Commissioner for AI, with a mandate that he’s “the chief for the entire authorities, by way of AI. It means setting the coverage. It means coordinating assets, determine issues for them, setting the very best practices, issuing tips. And likewise, very importantly, is growing AI for the entire of presidency with a view to, after we’ve developed our expertise, let the world additionally be taught from these experiences.”
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