Hong Kong’s Chief Executive’s Policy Unit (CEPU) has stepped up preparations for the city’s first five-year development plan, with a recent visit to Beijing aimed at aligning local policymaking more closely with national strategies.
CEPU head Stephen Wong Yuen-shan led a delegation to the capital last week to consult a range of state-level think tanks and research institutions as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region maps out its inaugural medium-term development blueprint.
The visit was intended to gain a deeper understanding of the central government’s priorities under the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and to help Hong Kong better position itself within the nation’s overall development strategy.
During meetings with research institutes under the Ministry of Commerce, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, the Ministry of Transport, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and other national think tanks, the delegation discussed how Hong Kong’s first five-year plan could better dovetail with the national plan. Key themes included reinforcing the city’s roles in international trade, shipping, and finance, building an ecosystem for commodities trading and high value-added supply chain services, and strengthening its function as a bridge between the mainland and global markets.
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The team also explored how the plan could support cooperation with central enterprises in innovation, smart port development, green shipping, and new energy under the country’s “dual carbon” goals.
Wong said the exchanges would provide important reference material for the consultation process, helping ensure Hong Kong’s first five-year plan is forward-looking, evidence-based, and closely aligned with national needs while leveraging the city’s unique strengths.
Hong Kong launched public consultation on its first five-year plan earlier this month, with the SAR government describing it as a strategic document aligned with national development priorities.
