Chief Executive John Lee concluded three consecutive days of working luncheons with the Chief Executive's Council of Advisers (CECA), running from Tuesday to today, to gather insights on Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, the 2026 Policy Address and the city's overall development.

Mr Lee said that he is currently leading the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in formulating Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan.

“Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address are closely aligned, with the Policy Address serving as the annual report on the implementation of Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan,” Mr Lee said.

He noted that CECA members observed that Hong Kong possesses unique advantages of having strong support from the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the “one country, two systems” principle.

“By leveraging its status as an international centre, proactively developing into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent, members are confident that Hong Kong will continue to give full play to its roles as a super value-adder and a super connector, thereby better integrating into and serving the overall national development while advancing its own development,” Mr Lee added.

As Hong Kong is proactively aligning with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, discussions during the luncheons centred on three core pillars.

The first pillar focuses on economic advancement and sustainability, aiming to further consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's position as an international centre in finance, shipping and trade, while accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis as a growth engine for new quality productive forces to continuously enhance the city's long-term competitiveness.

The second pillar targets innovation and entrepreneurship, seeking to modernise traditional industries, foster emerging industries, and invest in and nurture future industries to fully develop Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre and a hub for high-calibre talent.

The third pillar emphasises regional and global collaborations, centred on deeper Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area integration, participation in the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the expansion of international exchanges and co-operation to reinforce Hong Kong's role as an important international window for national high-level opening up.

The luncheons were chaired by Mr Lee alongside key senior officials, including Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, Acting Financial Secretary Michael Wong, Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Janice Tse Siu-wa, Director of the Chief Executive's Office Carol Yip, and Head of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit Stephen Wong.