Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu of Hong Kong has announced plans are afoot for the city’s first “five-year development blueprint” with national integration at its core.
Lee said he would lead a cross-departmental task force to align local policy priorities more closely with the central government’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China Daily reports. That national plan – outlining the country’s strategic growth directions – will be reviewed by the National People’s Congress during its annual session in March.
According to Lee, the local blueprint will set out priorities across key sectors, including economy and finance, as well as education, healthcare, housing and youth development. The chief executive also said that the government would seek input from different sectors of society during the drafting process.
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Analysts say the move signals a more proactive approach to national integration that boosts public confidence through clarifying policy direction. Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said he expected the forward-looking plan would leverage strengths like the SAR’s its long-established international connections to support both national and local growth.
Several lawmakers have welcomed the approach. Lawmaker Brave Chan Yung has said Lee’s direct oversight should help bolster the plan’s political weight, and called for clearly defined targets, timelines and monitoring mechanisms to ensure deliverables were met.
Lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said better alignment between Hong Kong and the mainland would let each region “maximise their respective strengths and advance together toward shared development goals.” She also highlighted previous five-year plans’ success at driving progress across China.
