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SCMP Editorial
Editorial
SCMP Editorial

Hong Kong’s 5-year plan consultation has sparked valuable discussions

Suggestions received will help the government finalise a blueprint that takes Hong Kong to the next stage of development, aligned with the nation’s five-year plan

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Chief Executive John Lee and principal officials attend a district forum on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and the 2026 policy address at Kowloon Tong Government Primary School on August 9 to listen to the views of members of the public. Photo: Handout
SCMP Editorial
Editorials represent the views of the South China Morning Post on the issues of the day.
Public consultations are fundamental to the processes of governance in Hong Kong. All of them are important. But the exercise just completed ahead of the announcement next month of the city’s first five-year plan has to be one of the most significant. What sets the proposed blueprint apart, in addition to being the first of its kind, is that it will align local development with and seize opportunities arising from the 15th national five-year plan. The consultation engaged the public – individuals and sectoral and institutional stakeholders – in a dialogue to help shape the blueprint that will take the city and its people to a new stage of development.

Going by the number of participants and analysis of submissions, the consultation was an effective exercise, with an official noting general support for more focused integration into national development and the strategic cultivation of emerging sectors. Hopefully it will also address deep-seated problems and the challenges that lie ahead.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse Siu-wa said there were more than 16,000 submissions, including over 12,000 from individuals that focused on livelihood issues, and the rest from organisations, such as political parties, think tanks, academic groups, chambers of commerce and the like. She described the blueprint as “a milestone in public administration” and said it would include binding and predictive targets, reflecting the design of the country’s 15th five-year plan.

A five-year plan can set the scene for more forward-thinking planning by society and the government, by creating a framework for devising strategic priorities and delivery targets. The government’s consultation paper covers finance and trade, innovation and technology, livelihoods and social development, the Northern Metropolis megaproject, regional cooperation and the integrated development of sports, culture, tourism and green living.

The aim is to better leverage Hong Kong’s strengths, such as being an international hub for finance and trade, an innovation and technology centre and a core engine in the Greater Bay Area.

Tse said analysis of the public submissions by artificial intelligence (AI) showed that respondents generally supported Hong Kong’s integration into national development in a more targeted manner, including cultivating emerging sectors with strategic values and leveraging the strengths of Hong Kong’s professional services. They also suggested that Hong Kong should accelerate its development as an innovation and technology hub, and consolidate its positioning as an international financial centre.

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