Policies for national plan expected in CE's Policy Address

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor revealed on Tuesday that a bundle of policies related to the nation's 14th Five-Year Plan will be announced in her upcoming Policy Address, slated to be delivered on Oct 6.

Speaking to a media briefing before the weekly Executive Council, Lam said the SAR government would formulate detailed strategies to realize the city's outlook in the latest national plan in eight areas, including strengthening Hong Kong's international status in finance, legal services, aviation, technology and culture.

Among them, the SAR government had relayed its suggestions for six areas with the central government.

She said she is meeting stakeholders of two remaining sectors concerning Hong Kong's role as a hub for international innovation and technology and a hub for arts and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world. The goals were brought up for the first time in a national development plan.

This year's Policy Address is under public consultation that started in early July.

Lam's remarks came a day after a high-level delegation of central government officials began their tour in Hong Kong to brief local sectors on the 14th Five-Year Plan and its chapters concerning Hong Kong.

The central government delegation is expected to meet with the business community and young people in Hong Kong on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government would actively promote the 14th Five-Year Plan and seize the opportunity to bring Hong Kong to the new stage, Lam said on Tuesday.

They have held talks with SAR government officials and representatives of various sectors on Monday morning for hours and with legislators in the afternoon to brief them on Hong Kong's new opportunities.

Also a speaker at the Monday morning talk, Lam said the briefings were informative and inspiring. With the government's proactive governance and cooperation from the Legislative Council, she was confident that the national plan would be successfully implemented in Hong Kong, she said.

Lam said the government had also in return briefly introduced Hong Kong's work on finance, innovation and technology, and aviation during the talk.

She hoped that the implementation also received support from all sectors of the community. The good use of national support and integration into national development will foster significant improvements in the economy and people's livelihoods in Hong Kong, she added.