FS begins visit to Beijing (with photos/video)
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The Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, met with Mr Chan and other officials this morning. Mr Xia said that when President Xi Jinping heard the Chief Executive's report on the work of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) at the end of last year, President Xi stressed that Hong Kong and Macao should proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Approved by the National People's Congress, the 15th Five-Year Plan supports Hong Kong in consolidating and enhancing its competitive edge, facilitating Hong Kong's better integration into and service of the overall national development. Mr Xia said he believed that the HKSAR Government will lead various sectors of the community to formulate the first Hong Kong's five-year plan based on the practical situation, with a view to further consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial, shipping and trade centre. This will accelerate its development as an international innovation and technology hub, injecting greater impetus for Hong Kong's economic development.
Mr Chan thanked Mr Xia for his guidance and care for the HKSAR's work on the economic and financial fronts. He reported to Mr Xia on the overall economic development and financial operations of Hong Kong, as well as the specific work of the HKSAR Government to fully align with the 15th Five-Year Plan under the leadership of the Chief Executive, including the progress in formulating Hong Kong's first five-year plan at full speed. Mr Chan said that the HKSAR Government and different sectors will utilise Hong Kong's unique advantages under the "one country, two systems" principle, actively reinforce the development of industries with clear advantages, and nurture emerging and future industries, grasping the vast opportunities offered by the 15th Five-Year Plan and contributing to the country's high-quality development.
The meeting was attended by the Executive Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xu Qifang. The HKSAR Government's Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau; the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong; the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Eddie Yue; the Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), Dr Kelvin Wong; and the Chief Executive Officer of the SFC, Ms Julia Leung, also joined the meeting and reported on their respective areas of work.
Mr Chan also called on the Governor of the People's Bank of China, Mr Pan Gongsheng, and the Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, Mr Wu Qing, this afternoon respectively to discuss the development of the financial market and regulatory co-operation. Mr Hui, Mr Yue, Dr Wong and Ms Leung also attended the meetings.
Mr Chan also attended a seminar on the 15th Five-Year Plan organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China, and delivered a keynote speech. Mr Chan noted in his speech that Hong Kong has to proactively align with the 15th Five-Year Plan, leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages of maintaining close connections with both the Mainland and the world under the principle of "one country, two systems" to serve the country's needs, and create new opportunities of high-quality development for Hong Kong.
He pointed out that to align with the 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong can focus on three key areas in economic development: First, contributing to building a modernised industrial system and accelerating high-level scientific and technological self-reliance of the country. Leveraging strong scientific research capabilities and a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem, Hong Kong will actively empower various sectors and promote industrial upgrading through the dual engines of "AI+" and "Finance+". He specifically mentioned that the Northern Metropolis, indicating that Hong Kong welcomes local, Mainland and overseas enterprises to participate in its development. The HKSAR Government has prepared preferential policy packages, considering to provide land, tax concessions and financial support, as well as adopt flexible co-operation models such as co-investment, in order to bring in frontier technology enterprises. The second area is supporting the country's development in promoting high-level two-way opening up. Serving as a "super connector" and "super value-adder”, Hong Kong will provide comprehensive support for Mainland enterprises to go global and for foreign enterprises to enter the Mainland market. The HKSAR Government established last year the cross-organisation and cross-departmental Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global to offer one-stop services for enterprises. The third area is bringing together high-calibre talent from across the globe. Through various recruitment measures, the talent pool has been enriched. Since the end of 2022, nearly 600 000 applications under various talent admission schemes have been received, with close to 280 000 talents arriving in Hong Kong for work and development. Hong Kong welcomes more local, Mainland and overseas talent to share in its development opportunities and inject new impetus into its economy.
Mr Chan will continue his visit to Beijing tomorrow (March 20).
Ends/Thursday, March 19, 2026
Issued at HKT 21:18
Issued at HKT 21:18
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