The Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee, led some government officials to meet with foreign consuls-general in Hong Kong and representatives of foreign chambers of commerce in Hong Kong at CGO on the morning of September 21.
The Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee
He briefed them on the concepts and highlights of Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address. The CE reaffirmed that Hong Kong’s first-ever Five-Year Plan is not equivalent to a planned economy. Representatives from the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong expressed recognition of the Five-Year Plan in interviews, noting that it helps bring more certainty and direction for Hong Kong’s future development.
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The Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee
Ms. Mary Simpson, Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Mr. Johannes Hack, Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Mr. Paul McComb, Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Ms. Mary Simpson, Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Ms. Mary Simpson, Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, noted that the real opportunity here isn't just selling into HK. It's using HK as a launchpad as a super-connector and as a Super Enabler. The Five-Year Plan takes the city's current established pillars, which she sees as finance, law, logistics, and then channels them directly into new areas of growth, like AI, GreenTech, critical minerals, MedTech. For Australian firms, they feel that synergies are quite obvious.
Mr. Johannes Hack, Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Mr. Johannes Hack, Chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, said that it's good to have the Five-Year Plan, but Hong Kong is in a very good place already; otherwise there wouldn't be so many companies here. And what he believes is that the European enterprises can further build out on that extremely strong base. That base of thrust comes from the regulation in Hong Kong, the common law system.
Mr. Paul McComb, Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong
Mr. Paul McComb, Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, emphasized that what's quite important about the Five-Year Plan is that it gives a bit of certainty to the direction. So some of what people have been hearing is here to stay. It's not a policy suggestion just for the time Hong Kong people are in. Instead, it's a direction of travel.
In support of the National 15th Five-Year Plan and in alignment with The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is pleased to announce that its Charities Trust has approved in principle a donation of HK$3 billion to support the construction of a Life and Health Academic Research Building at the Northern Metropolis University Town. The initiative follows HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee’s annual Policy Address delivered today (16 September), in which he announced the construction of an integrated teaching and scientific research building in the Northern Metropolis. The facility will focus on education, scientific exchange and nurturing research talent, and will provide shared facilities for tertiary institutions.
Chief Executive, Mr. John Lee unveiled the Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address on September 16. Photo source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said,“2026 marks the commencement of the nation's 15th Five-Year Plan,while 2027 will see the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. As a patriotic world-class horse sports organisation, as well as a charity institution deeply committed to our country and Hong Kong, the Club is honoured to work alongside the HKSAR Government to support the long-term development, prosperity and progress of Hong Kong as it advances from stability to greater prosperity and success.”
The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Photo source: HKJC
Situated in Hong Kong Park in the Hetao Co-Operation Zone, the Life and Health Academic Research Building will provide more than 30,000 square metres of gross floor space in support of life and health science research. Further details of the project will be announced in due course.
The new building reflects the Club’s longstanding commitment to nurturing cutting-edge talent and research. For example, the JC STEM Lab initiative, launched in 2021, supports state-of-the-art laboratories that attract leading researchers, nurture STEM talent and translate scientific discoveries into solutions with societal impact. Building on this commitment, the Club launched the JC STEM Early Career Research Fellowship for Translation and Application in 2024, providing promising early-career researchers with funding, capacity-building and industry exposure to turn innovative ideas into impactful real-world applications. Meanwhile, the Jockey Club One Health Tower at City University of Hong Kong is advancing interdisciplinary education and research in veterinary medicine and life sciences. Together, these initiatives underscore the Club’s dedication, in collaboration with the HKSAR Government, academia and research institutions, to translating learning and innovations into tangible solutions that serve the community-at-large.
The design image of the Northern Metropolis University Town, Photo source: HKSAR Government
The Club’s support for Life and Health Academic Research Building, like all of its charity and community initiatives, is made possible by its unique value creation model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club, Photo by Bastille Post
