Hong Kong's first five-year plan focuses on economic development, people's livelihood: John Lee

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), by launching its first five-year plan for economic and social development (2026-2030), is seizing the opportunities presented by national development to promote the local economic development and people's livelihood, said HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee.

HKSAR government released the plan on Wednesday.

In an interview with China Media Group, Lee described the plan as an important deployment that looks to the future and coordinates overall development. This year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030). Lee said Hong Kong will continue proactively aligning with national development strategies and enhancing Hong Kong's own advantages.

"China is a driver and stabilizer for global economic development. So aligning with national development strategies brings many benefits to Hong Kong and allows us to grasp all the opportunities. We've proactively aligned with the national 15th Five-Year Plan since its promulgation. By aligning with national development strategies, Hong Kong can seize this rare and enormous opportunity," said Lee. During the interview, Lee noted that Hong Kong held more than 100 public consultation sessions during the drafting of the blueprint and received over 17,000 opinions and suggestions. The development priorities for the next five years were established following extensive public consultation.

"In this five-year plan, you can see that two areas are the most substantial. The first is how to consolidate and enhance our economic development advantages. The second is how to improve people's livelihood. In particular, the chapter on livelihood is the most substantial part of my policy address. We have summarized all the opinions and put them into our five-year plan," Lee said.

People from different walks of Hong Kong society spoken highly of the first five-year plan, saying it sets out a clear blueprint for Hong Kong's economic and social development over the next five years.

Tam Kam-kau, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and president of the Hong Kong Federation of Friendship Associations, said the first five-year plan and the 2026 policy address have "reconstructed Hong Kong's urban development pattern, broken free from local limitations, and planned long-term development from the overall perspective of the Greater Bay Area."

"Hong Kong's development has always adhered to the core concept of prioritizing people's livelihood, with all arrangements ultimately aimed at benefiting the people. The plan focuses on residents' most pressing concerns -- housing, healthcare, employment, elderly care and education -- and introduces systematic, long-term solutions, moving away from previous fragmented approaches to improving livelihood," said Gong Junlong, also a Standing Committee member of the CPPCC National Committee and chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organizations.

Hong Kong's first five-year plan focuses on economic development, people's livelihood: John Lee

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that no country could dictate Canada's language, culture or international partnerships, responding to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat over closer ties between Canada and the European Union.

Speaking to the press after addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Carney said, "Canadians are united that nobody is going to tell us what language we speak. No one can restrict our culture, or limit our partnerships abroad."

He also said this EU-Canada alliance is a positive process that would strengthen Canada's sovereignty, resilience and prosperity, adding that a stronger, more resilient Canada would be a more effective partner for the United States.

His remarks came after Trump said Canada's becoming an "associate member" of the EU could be considered a "hostile act" and threatened to impose heavy tariffs on Europe.

Carney also said any final arrangement with the EU would be subject to democratic scrutiny at home.

"There will be debates" in Canada's parliament, he said, adding that the final structure of the proposed alliance would ultimately be put to a parliamentary vote.

Canada and the EU are expected to discuss details of the initiative at their next summit in Montreal at the end of October.

In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed opening the door for Canada to become the first "associate member" of the EU.

Carney says no one can dictate Canada's partnerships amid Trump threat