Hong Kong launches maiden 5-year plan

Hong Kong Wednesday released its first Five-Year Plan, a move seen as a step toward aligning the semi-autonomous city's development policies with mainland China.

It is the first time since Hong Kong was handed back to China by the UK on July 1, 1997, ending 156 years of British colonial rule, that the city has launched a targeted five-year development plan with binding and anticipatory goals.

After unveiling the plan, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee also delivered an annual policy address to the Legislative Council, stressing the need to implement "One Country, Two Systems" fully and faithfully, RTHK reported.

Mainland China launched its 15th Five-Year Plan this year, which runs through 2030.

"Pursuing development does not mean we can neglect national security. We will continue to improve and enhance these mechanisms for safeguarding national security," he said.

However, he added that the city administration will "stick to the executive-led governance model, driving and coordinating efforts to maintain social stability and improve people's well-being," the report said.

In the last year of his current term, which began in 2022, Lee's administration had launched a two-month public consultation before unveiling the plan Wednesday.

Lee said Hong Kongers will "better understand how the government will turn the long-term blueprint into concrete policy measures in the coming year," the South China Morning Post reported.

Describing the five-year plan as "forward-looking and strategic," Lee said it maps out the long-term direction for the city, while the policy address is the annual report on how the government will implement the blueprint, the report said. "The two documents are closely related," he stressed.