Leaders and senior officials of the Hong Kong and Macao special administration regions on Wednesday extended their New Year’s greetings, reflecting on achievements in 2025 for both the motherland and the cities, while expressing optimism for further success in 2026 under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

In a social media post, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said, “2025 has been a year full of challenges yet marked by resilience.”

He recalled the shared sorrow across the city following the tragic fire on Nov 26 at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Estate, which claimed 161 lives, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting victims and ensuring their long-term resettlement as a priority on the 2026 agenda.

Lee also highlighted the strong momentum of economic recovery and steady progress in social welfare over the past year. He outlined two main goals for the SAR government in 2026:

“First, enhancing people’s well-being and strengthening residents’ sense of security and happiness; second, reinforcing innovation- and technology-driven development to elevate Hong Kong’s international competitiveness and influence.

“As long as we remain united, we will overcome difficulties, ’ride the waves’, and make our city even more prosperous and radiant,” Lee said in a video address.

In a written message, Macao Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai expressed pride in the nation’s accomplishments over the past year, including the V-Day military parade and the successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

Sam celebrated Macao’s progress in areas such as the Legislative Assembly election, cohosting the 15th National Games, disaster response during Super Typhoon Ragasa, and governance reforms aimed at boosting administrative efficiency and building a diversified economy.

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Entering the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan with the rest of the nation, Sam said Macao will align its development more closely with the national blueprint, seize new opportunities for growth, and continue safeguarding national security and social harmony.

Zheng Xincong, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, and Liu Xianfa, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR, also sent New Year’s greetings, wishing the motherland prosperity, Macao dynamic growth, and residents happiness and good health.

Starting on New Year’s Eve, hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors across Hong Kong and Macao participated in various celebrations to welcome 2026.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board’s inaugural Central countdown celebration featured a music and light show projected onto eight iconic buildings, culminating in a three-minute themed illumination display at midnight.

Major landmarks, including the West Kowloon Cultural District, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Hong Kong Disneyland, drew large crowds for concerts, synchronized light shows, and festive outdoor installations.

To accommodate the surge of revelers, intercity transport and cross-boundary facilities, including rail services and checkpoint operations, extended their hours overnight.

In Macao, public celebrations include countdown events at the Macau Tower Forecourt and The Parisian Macao resort, along with a dazzling fireworks display over the Cotai Strip at midnight.

On a local radio program, Perry Yiu Pak-leung, a Hong Kong Legislative Council member representing the tourism sector, said the three-day mainland holiday had drawn a substantial number of visitors, especially from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for short-haul trips.

Although this year’s Victoria Harbour fireworks display was canceled, Yiu said Hong Kong’s unique festive atmosphere and numerous attractions across districts are expected to lead to a slight increase in visitor numbers.

READ MORE: HK to ring in 2026 with countdown, light show

Alan Chan Chung-yee, chief operations officer of Miramar Hotel and Investment Co, said the group’s two hotels were both fully booked over the holiday period, with room prices rising 12 to 15 percent year-on-year.