CE’s policy address is a blueprint for the future

The Chief Executive’s, John Lee Ka-chiu, annual policy address painted a bright future for Hong Kong with his opening remarks concentrating on the Northern Metropolis development and advancement of artificial intelligence (AI).

His address was very bullish despite the world being in a state of turmoil due to the on-off-on policies of the US administration. But undaunted, Lee closed his speech with “the Pearl of the Orient will keep shining brighter than ever before.”

Hong Kong has achieved many accolades for its accomplishments in 2024 and Lee is determined that the city will not sit on its laurels and will move forward with even more ambitious plans for the years ahead.

In his eyes the future for Hong Kong lies in artificial intelligence which will come with the development of the Northen Metropolis along the boundary with Shenzhen. He appears to have been concerned by the progress of the development and has set up a series of initiatives to speed up progress. The plan is massive with the land area and planned population intake accounting for about one-third of Hong Kong’s total.

He plans to set up a working group on devising development and operation models, and another on planning and construction of the proposed university town in Hung Shui Kiu (near Yuen Long) next year. Another site available will be in Ngau Tam Mei in 2028 which can dovetail with the overall I&T development of the San Tin Technopole and life and health technology industries. It will also be used for joint development with a third medical school and an integrated medical teaching and research hospital.

The overall project will be under a committee on development of the Northern Metropolis chaired personally by the CE while the two working groups will be led by the Financial Secretary, the Chief Secretary for Administration respectively. A third working group on planning and development will be led by the Deputy Financial Secretary.

He also plans to remove barriers and ease restrictions to streamline administrative procedures by introducing a fast track processing system and implementing a phased development approach. This will include pilot low-density facilities, such as retail, entertainment and convention and exhibition facilities to be developed initially to attract businesses, by bringing income to the area to create momentum before long-term development is rolled out.

Straddling the Shenzhen River (the boundary between Hong Kong and the mainland) is the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone comprising the Shenzhen Park and the Hong Kong Park. The two parks will promote collaboration in the development of I&T. Three buildings in the Hong Kong Park have been completed and tenants from life and health technology, microelectronics, new energy, AI and other pillar industries are gradually moving in.

Lee said that AI is the key driving force of a new round of scientific and technological revolution, as well as industrial transformation. “With our advantages in scientific research, capital, data and talent, together with abundant use cases, Hong Kong is poised to become a global hub for AI development,” he said.

The government has earmarked HK$1 billion for the establishment of the Hong Kong AI Research and Development (R&D) Institute in 2026, to facilitate upstream AI R&D. Earlier, the Government launched the $3 billion Frontier Technology Research Support Scheme which will help fund universities to attract international top-notch scientific researchers in AI.

Lee highlighted the many advantages of AI as well as its efforts to nurture local and attract overseas and Mainland AI professionals. These include setting up the AIR@InnoHK research cluster that has pooled over a thousand experts. And, combined with nearly a thousand AI companies that have gathered in our I&T parks, this helps enhance our AI R&D capabilities and lay the foundations for wide-ranging AI applications.

AI is everywhere in today’s modern world and to further enhance the efficacy of the Government, he has set up an AI Efficacy Enhancement Team to coordinate and steer government departments to apply AI technology effectively to their work and promote technological reform in departments to improve efficacy.

The CE’s address was long (two hours and 40-minutes) and very detailed but covered every aspect of life in Hong Kong. It was all good news and when all policies are implemented Hong Kong will maintain its position on the top rung of superlatives.

Mark Pinkstone

** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **

Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine has been quick to point out that the Wang Fuk Court fire confirmed that the city’s “once prized freedom have vanished.”

How the magazine in it’s December 2 edition came to this conclusion is anyone’s guess, but it is indicative that anything untoward in Hong Kong is seen as politically motivated and a bad thing.

The fire, a great tragedy in Hong Kong that claimed 159 lives and many still missing, has left the city in mourning. And yet, the American press continues to use the opportunity to lambast Hong Kong as it struggles to come to terms with the devastating tragedy. It is a time for sympathies, not political gain… but that is the American way.

Foreign Policy editor James Palmer said local authorities responded to the fire by stifling civil society aid efforts and detaining critics. According to Palmer, since the 2019 protests and the imposition of “draconian” national security laws, no public institution in Hong Kong can operate freely. “Democratic mechanisms have been gutted, and political candidates must now adhere explicitly to Beijing’s line. The city’s response to the fire has confirmed Hong Kongers’ fears that the city’s political culture is now indistinguishable from that of the mainland,” he wrote.

Such comments are coming from a magazine that is popular in the halls of the US Congress and Senate. This and other foreign news coverage of the fire, prompted the Hong Kong SAR government to issue a statement that external forces were making false and defamatory remarks about the government’s post-disaster follow-up and investigations, as well as stirring up trouble and maliciously attacking the disaster relief efforts, as they “harbour malicious intent”. The Office for Safeguarding National Security also condemned a “small clique of external hostile forces” for “stirring up trouble and taking advantage of the chaos.”

One woman has been arrested over a fake donation website for the Tai Po fire victims and others have been detained for making false claims about the victims whom they claimed were “harbouring grave sins” and “got their retribution.” Others have been questioned by police for unbecoming behaviour towards the victims.

But Palmer writes Police dismantled grassroots fundraising efforts and donation sites and replaced them with state-approved efforts. So says somebody more than 13,000 kilometres away.

Hong Kong people responded in their usual fashion, with compassion and within a short period some HK$1 billion had been raised for the victims. Food, clothing and blankets were also donated by a caring public.

What Palmer means is again anybody’s guess. If he is referring to Beijing, he is sadly mistaken. All efforts relating to the fire were Hong Kong’s efforts. Beijing did offer to help and had fire tenders on the ready at the Shenzhen boundary.

Chinese President Xi Jingping offered his condolences on behalf of all the Chinese people indicating the care the central authorities in Beijing have towards Hong Kong.

The city’s response to the fire was remarkable as more than 2,300 firefighters and medical personnel were involved in the operation, which included one firefighter killed and 12 others injured.

It is writers like Palmer who give Hong Kong a bad name for the sole purpose of sensationalism and political sway. But, unfortunately, their publications are read as 丶being authoritative in the corridors of power and impact on Sino-Anglo relations, an never ending frustrating situation.