Hong Kong Kicks Off Formulation of First-Ever Five-Year Plan, Chief Secretary Engages Advisory Panel
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The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has officially commenced work on its first-ever five-year plan, with the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents (CETT)—chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki—convening its third engagement session with the Panel of Advisors on June 12 to gather expert input on the landmark blueprint.
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This year marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, and the HKSAR Government has pledged to proactively align with the vast opportunities arising from the national strategy while drawing up Hong Kong's own five-year plan at full speed. The initiative represents a significant step forward in Hong Kong's long-term strategic planning under the principle of "one country, two systems."
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During the engagement session, the Panel of Advisors emphasised that a forward-looking and strategic medium-to-long-term plan would further strengthen policy synergy across government departments, driving the seamless integration of education, technology, and talent development. The advisors stressed that such coordination would facilitate Hong Kong's better integration into and service of the overall national development agenda.
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Key recommendations from the Panel of Advisors centred on accelerating the development of the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone and the San Tin Technopole. The advisors called for aggressive efforts to attract more quality technology enterprises from the Chinese Mainland and overseas to establish operations in these parks, creating a cluster effect that would support the development of a comprehensive innovation and technology (I&T) industry chain. Such an ecosystem, they noted, would provide expanded development opportunities for both incoming and local I&T talent.
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The Panel of Advisors also gave strong recognition to the current-term Government's talent initiatives, which have achieved significant results. They supported continued efforts to expand Hong Kong's talent pool through both local training and global elite recruitment. At the same time, the advisors urged the Government to seize the opportunities presented by rapid technological advancements, strengthen the professional development of teachers, and enhance the effectiveness of nurturing local talent to continuously inject new impetus into Hong Kong's high-quality development.
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Participants attached great importance to nurturing diversified talent to meet the evolving needs of Hong Kong's economic and I&T development. The discussion covered development strategies for Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) as well as skills training programmes. Notably, the Panel of Advisors also explored the implications of the rapid rise of artificial intelligence technology for local industries, education, and the labour market—signalling forward-thinking policy preparation for the AI era.
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Mr Chan expressed gratitude for the valuable suggestions raised during the session, which he said would provide an important reference for the Government in formulating the five-year plan more comprehensively. He also briefed the Panel of Advisors on insights gained by the Working Group on Planning and Construction of the University Town during its earlier visits to the Mainland, Korea, Germany, and Switzerland to study higher education and I&T infrastructure.
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The meeting was attended by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun; the Under Secretary for Education, Dr Jeff Sze; and Permanent Secretaries or representatives of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau, Education Bureau, and Labour and Welfare Bureau. CETT has committed to maintaining close communication and co-operation with the Panel of Advisors as it formulates strategies for developing Hong Kong into an international I&T centre and international hub for high-calibre talent.
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Sources: [HKSAR Government]
