Remarks by FS at media session after attending Legislative Council Ante Chamber Exchange Session (with photos/video)
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Reporter: What did you make of the earlier exchange sessions with the lawmakers? And as the Chief Executive said yesterday, Hong Kong will make its first Five-Year Plan following the 15th Five-Year Plan in Beijing, what are the intended directions on how to align with the nation's development goals? How will Hong Kong implement the relevant policies and will your Budget that comes out later this month seek to roll out policies that also align with the nation's directions?
Financial Secretary: The discussion just now in the Ante Chamber focused on the 15th Five-Year Plan of the country. The recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan were set out last October. The final Plan will be released in March during the Two Sessions in Beijing. On the basis of those recommendations, in preparing the Budget, we have been taking into full consideration the future role of Hong Kong in aligning with, and making contributions to, the overall national development. During that process, Hong Kong will also benefit. For example, going forward - apart from being an international financial centre and international trade centre, technology and innovation will be a major driver of future economic growth.
And the 15th Five-Year Plan puts emphasis on technological self-reliance, as well as deeply integrating technology with industrial development. These are also of high reference value for Hong Kong as we work to diversify our economic structure and create more quality jobs for our people. At the same time, it is also necessary to use technology to upgrade and empower different sectors. It is the policy of the Government to embrace technologies and apply them, in particular AI, across different sectors. In the upcoming Budget, content will certainly be devoted to this to outline the future economic direction of Hong Kong.
For the five-year planning for Hong Kong to be led by the Chief Executive, it is indeed a great move. Going forward, the development of Hong Kong will count on the strong support of the Central Authorities, and the competitive advantages of Hong Kong as an international financial, trade and technology centre. We have a very big hinterland, which is a 1.4 billion-people market, as well as a vibrant technology and industry chain. We need to leverage these advantages to support our future growth. In the Budget, we'll also cover this aspect. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Ends/Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:40
Issued at HKT 15:40
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