Speech by CE at South China Morning Post China Conference 2026
Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the South China Morning Post China Conference 2026 today (July 7):
Ms Tammy Tam (Publisher of the South China Morning Post), Mr Steve Finch (President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Asia), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. I am very pleased to join you, once again, for the South China Morning Post's China Conference, the 12th edition of this forum on our country's development.
A week ago, we marked the 29th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). We proudly celebrated the anniversary, and the achievements of the "one country, two systems" principle, which continues to fuel the long-term stability and prosperity of our economy, and power our community long down the road.
The theme of today's conference -"Intelligence at Scale: Hong Kong's AI-Powered Future" - is all about Hong Kong's commitment to innovation. And rightly so.
China, our country, is fast becoming a global powerhouse of innovation and modern industries. And with Hong Kong's "one country, two systems" advantages and dedication to innovation and technology, we are well-placed to connect the world to the wide range of opportunities of this AI-powered future.
Hong Kong is recognised worldwide for its openness, deep international networks and role as a vital bridge between the Chinese Mainland and the rest of the world.
We have long been the world's number one in economic freedom. In the latest World Competitiveness Ranking, released three weeks ago, Hong Kong's position rose one spot to rank second, globally. We are the world's fifth-largest merchandise trading entity, and one of the world's three global financial centres.
Hong Kong's prowess as a two-way bridge between our country and the world is recognised by not only rankings, but also companies from around the globe. Hong Kong is the preferred location for international companies establishing regional headquarters.
The numbers underline that statement. Last year, Invest Hong Kong, our investment promotion agency, assisted 560 Mainland and overseas companies in setting up or expanding their businesses in Hong Kong - up 4 per cent, year on year.
In addition, 124 strategic enterprises have settled in Hong Kong since the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises was established in late 2022. The companies come from high-tech industries such as advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, AI and data science, fintech, and life and health technology.
These strategic enterprises will invest some HK$73 billion in the years to come, while creating some 25,000 jobs. And there's more. Their presence is drawing a wave of complementary businesses, reinforcing Hong Kong's status as a global hub, where innovation, investment and continuing opportunities converge. Where Mainland Chinese companies can better connect to the world, and foreign investors could more easily tap into the Chinese market.
It helps that Hong Kong is a core city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The Greater Bay Area is a national strategy, designed to harness the complementary strengths of nine cities in Guangdong, plus Hong Kong and Macao, and in doing so, build a world-class region for innovation and technology - and a lot more.
Hong Kong strives to work with other cities in the Greater Bay Area to develop an international I&T (innovation and technology) centre. Last year, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster topped the world's 100 leading innovation clusters in the World Intellectual Property Organization's Global Innovation Index.
The cluster has demonstrated exceptional strength in mobilising capital to transform innovative ideas into tangible, market-ready outcomes.
And we will fully utilitse the Northern Metropolis, which takes up one-third of Hong Kong's land area and is adjacent to Shenzhen, to provide the much-needed space for innovation and research developments.
Straddling the Shenzhen River, the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone promotes I&T collaboration between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Hong Kong Park in the Zone, and very much part of the Northern Metropolis, now boasts tenants from life and health technology, AI, microelectronics and other pillar industries. We welcome more global companies to establish a presence in the Hong Kong Park, and the wider Northern Metropolis, to capitalise on our I&T ambitions.
Hong Kong is drawing up its First Five-Year Plan. It will mark a historic milestone, as the strategic road map aligning Hong Kong with the National 15th Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan will feature, prominently, our vision in accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis, as well as Hong Kong's finance, shipping, trade, innovation, technology and other industries.
I'm also preparing my annual Policy Address, which sets out the Government's policy agenda. Together, the two documents will guide our high-quality economic progress, and the livelihood of our people. One obvious area of importance is further developing Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre.
In that development, artificial intelligence is a central plank.
It's why, 18 months ago, Cyberport established the Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre, providing high-performance computing power to industry, R&D (research and development) centres and local institutions.
The three-year, HK$3 billion Artificial Intelligence Subsidy Scheme was set up to help enterprises take advantage of Cyberport's AI Supercomputing Centre. As of March this year, nearly 30 projects had been approved.
The Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme has been supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in adopting digital solutions. We are upgrading the scheme and will launch, later this year, an enhanced programme that will give SMEs subsidies, on a matching basis, to help them take advantage of AI's far-reaching promise.
The Hong Kong AI R&D Institute will also commence operation in the second half of 2026. It will help to promote our R&D efforts, as well as the commercialisation of AI technology.
Just last week, the Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy held its first meeting. Made up of senior representatives from the business and professional sectors, the Committee will formulate strategies for Hong Kong's AI-driven industrial transformation, innovation and development.
Beyond I&T, Hong Kong's world-class financial services will drive development of the Greater Bay Area. The Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme has steadily expanded financial opportunities, further opening up the financial markets of the Mainland.
Then there's the issuance of offshore Renminbi government bonds by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and the Guangdong Provincial Government in Hong Kong, which has reinforced our role as the world's largest offshore Renminbi business hub.
Earlier this morning, I announced the trial launch of Hong Kong's central clearing system for gold. We will work closely with the Shanghai Gold Exchange, as well as other stakeholders in and outside of Hong Kong, to build a comprehensive gold trading ecosystem.
Ladies and gentlemen, the HKSAR Government is determined to open up new opportunities for global business and talent, helping them access, engage with and thrive in the Greater Bay Area and the Chinese Mainland, with Hong Kong as their trusted gateway and strategic partner.
My thanks to the South China Morning Post for organising this illustrious event. I wish you all an inspiring conference, and the best of business and investment through the rest of this challenging, endlessly promising, year.
Thank you.
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, attended the South China Morning Post China Conference 2026 today (July 7). Photo shows (first row, from fifth right) the President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife Asia, Mr Steve Finch; Mr Lee; the Publisher of the South China Morning Post, Ms Tammy Tam, and other guests at the conference. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, speaks at the South China Morning Post China Conference 2026 today (July 7). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
