John Lee Celebrates 77th National Day, Unveils Hong Kong's Strategic Five-Year Plan

CE's speech at National Day reception

Following is the speech (English translation) by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the National Day Reception in Celebration of the 77th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China today (October 1):

Distinguished guests, fellow citizens,

Today marks the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It carries the special significance of being the first National Day celebrated since the announcement of Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan.

Over the past 77 years, the Chinese nation has achieved a historic transformation – from standing up and growing prosperous to becoming strong. Today, China has become the world's largest manufacturer and merchandise trader, its leading contributor to scientific research output and much more, exerting significant influence on international affairs.

The formulation of a Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong is not merely about rolling out a series of policy initiatives. The Plan provides a strategic roadmap for Hong Kong, allowing us to apply our unique advantages under "one country, two systems", embrace modern trends and seize the opportunities brought by national development.

Why should we formulate a Five-Year Plan? And why do it now? The answer is straightforward: to fully and swiftly seize the immense opportunities brought by national development, and to deliver more fruits of development to the benefit of our citizens. Faced with an ever-changing geopolitical landscape, the reshaping of industrial chains, as well as the rapid development of technology and artificial intelligence, Hong Kong must devise a strategic roadmap in a proactive manner and put in place forward-looking plans. As the world's second-largest economy, China is widely recognised as both a driver and a stabiliser for global economic development. Time and tide wait for no man. We must act decisively and respond to changing circumstances by formulating the Five-Year Plan, in order to ride the wave of opportunities, keep pace with the times, and integrate into and serve the overall national development. This can only boost Hong Kong's progress and allow the people of Hong Kong to enjoy more development dividends.

Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan is a logical and target-oriented plan. It is based on an overall review of Hong Kong's prevailing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and it serves as a comprehensive blueprint targeted at building strengths, overcoming weaknesses, seizing opportunities and managing threats. The Plan focuses on six themes: first, to strengthen the development of "four centres and one hub", namely our status as international financial, maritime and trade centres and an international aviation hub, as well as our development into an international innovation and technology centre and an international hub for high-calibre talent; second, to leverage our advantage as an international city by deepening Hong Kong's development of a legal and dispute resolution services centre, intellectual property trading centre and East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange; third, to expedite the development of the Northern Metropolis; fourth, to reinforce our strength in connecting with the country and the world; fifth, to enhance social well-being; and sixth, to adopt a holistic approach to development and security. These six themes cover economic development, spatial layout, internal and external connectivity, livelihood enhancement, and risk prevention and control, forming a comprehensive system with interconnected and mutually reinforcing components.

The three key distinctive features of Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan are: first, it is well-suited to the unique characteristics of Hong Kong. In the Foreword on page 1 of the Plan, it is made clear from the outset that Hong Kong's Five-Year Plan has to be grounded in the city's practical reality, and supported by policy measures and major projects that feature Hong Kong's unique character.

Second, it adheres to the "one country, two systems" principle. This means that the First Five-Year Plan must be developed under the Basic Law framework. The Basic Law expressly provides for the practice of capitalism and the common law system, as well as the free flow of capital, people, goods and information in Hong Kong, while the First Five-Year Plan stresses a market economy and upholds the two-pronged approach of "effective market" and "capable government".

Third, the First Five-Year Plan clearly defines Hong Kong's international positioning. Its International Financial Centre chapter points out that we must firmly demonstrate Hong Kong's international positioning, whereas the Policy Address states that we will "stay committed to our global positioning". The two documents reiterate the importance and establishment of Hong Kong's global positioning, which powerfully illustrates that it is part of our city's DNA.

One of the initiatives for implementing the First Five-Year Plan is to fully leverage Hong Kong's unique advantage as a connector between the country and the rest of the world. Hong Kong is the only city in the world that enjoys the convergence of national and international opportunities. The ultimate focus of the Plan is, in fact, to capitalise on this aggregate advantage: drawing on the momentum of the country's development to gain stable support, while leveraging an international platform to access global resources and achieve two-way interaction. Committed to firmly maintaining its strategic position as the nexus of domestic-international dual circulation, Hong Kong will make greater contributions in its roles as a "super connector" and "super value-adder".

As the Chinese saying goes, "Victory is ensured when people pool their strength; success is secured when people put their heads together." Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan is the fruit of the collective wisdom gained during our extensive consultation. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government puts words into action. With a strategic vision for a bright new era that drives reform, boosts development, unleashes opportunities and enhances livelihood, we have formulated the 2026 Policy Address to launch wide-ranging policy measures and take forward the initiatives for the first year in line with our five-year strategic blueprint. I am confident that as long as we, each dedicated to our respective roles, join hands and work in synergy with one another, Hong Kong will certainly be able to set out on a path to a brighter and more prosperous future.

Finally, I wish our motherland and Hong Kong continuing prosperity and stability. May all of you enjoy good health and great success in every endeavour. Thank you very much.

Source: AI-found images

DH reminds public to take precautions against heat-related illnesses during very hot weather

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 1) reminded members of the public to take appropriate precautions against heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, during very hot weather.

In a high-temperature environment, excessive sweating and difficulty in heat dissipation can cause stress to the body. Members of the public should take the following precautions:

• Hydrate in a timely manner to prevent dehydration;
• Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting and breathable clothing to minimise heat absorption and facilitate perspiration and heat dissipation;
• Keep indoor areas well ventilated and maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, e.g. by opening windows or using a fan or air-conditioning;
• Avoid strenuous exercise and prolonged activities such as hiking or trekking;
• Arrange outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon, if possible, and bring enough water; and
• Avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcoholic beverages, which may speed up water loss through the urinary system.

In addition, infants and children, the elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure, overweight people and outdoor/manual workers are more susceptible to heat stroke. These groups should pay special attention to the following:

• Infants and young children: Avoid going outside when the temperature is high. If they must go outside, adults should ensure they stay in places with moderate temperatures and good ventilation or air-conditioning. Infants and young children should never be left unattended in a confined space such as a vehicle;
• The elderly, pregnant women, individuals with chronic illnesses and overweight people: Pay close attention to health conditions and seek help as soon as possible if experiencing any abnormalities in health indicators such as blood pressure, heart rate, etc or if there are fluctuations in health conditions. Avoid going out when the temperature is high. Make sure there is good ventilation, or turn on a fan or air-conditioner to keep an appropriate temperature indoors. High temperatures can also worsen the condition of people with chronic illnesses (such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases). Therefore, they should have an ample supply of their usual medication and keep in contact with family members, neighbours and the community. People should seek immediate help if they feel unwell.
• Outdoor/manual workers: Reschedule work to cooler hours as far as feasible. If working in a hot environment is unavoidable, provide shade where practicable and use ventilation and heat dissipation equipment. Once work has begun, gradually adjust the pace of work and take breaks in the shade to regain strength.

The DH reminded the public that heat stroke is one of the most common health risks in hot weather. Over the past five years, there have been over 200 hospital admissions due to heat stroke each year in Hong Kong, with two to five fatal cases occurring mainly during the summer months from May to September. Vulnerable groups are more susceptible to heat stroke. Symptoms include dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion. In severe cases, patients may suffer from convulsions or become unconscious, which can be life-threatening if they are not cooled down and resuscitated in a timely manner.

Members of the public are also advised to pay attention to the latest weather, as well as the real-time and forecasted ultraviolet (UV) index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV index is high (6 or above), the public should note the following:

• Avoid direct sunlight exposure to the skin and the eyes;
• Apply broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen liberally, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher, when participating in outdoor activities. Reapply every two hours if staying outdoors for long periods, or after swimming, sweating or towelling off;
• While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen before insect repellent;
• Seek shade;
• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses;
• Wear loose-fitting clothing with long-sleeves; and
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella.

If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

For more health information, the public may visit theCHP's heat strokepage andUV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200),latestweather report and forecast,UV Indexand weather information forhiking and mountaineering; andpress releasesof the Labour Departmenton precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Heat Stress at Work Warning is in force.

Source: AI-found images