The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will formulate its first-ever five-year development plan, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced, as part of efforts to proactively align with China's national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).
Speaking after chairing a steering group meeting on integrating into the national development agenda on February 12, 2026, Lee said he is personally leading the initiative, with the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau taking primary responsibility. All secretaries and bureau heads are fully engaged in supporting and advancing the work.
Lee emphasized that the "Hong Kong Five-Year Plan" will serve as a macro-level, strategic, and forward-looking document. It will outline the city's development vision, core objectives, priority areas, and major measures for the next five years, providing a clear roadmap and timeline for social, economic, and livelihood development. The plan requires whole-of-government, cross-bureau, and multi-sectoral collaboration.
He stressed the need for all officials to adopt a reform mindset to ensure the plan features forward-thinking and broad strategic directions and goals.
At the meeting, Lee highlighted the need to build a systematic policy framework to actively align with the national 15th Five-Year Plan. This will enable more comprehensive, precise, and detailed strategic deployments in key development areas, better integrating Hong Kong into and contributing to the country's overall development strategy.
Lee has instructed all policy bureaus to establish preparatory teams and commence preparatory work immediately. Once the details and content of the national 15th Five-Year Plan are officially released, these teams will transition into dedicated alignment groups, working at full speed to complete the Hong Kong Five-Year Plan in alignment with the national plan within this year.
The announcement follows Lee's earlier statements, including during the Central People's Government Liaison Office's 2026 Lunar New Year reception and in media interviews, where he first revealed plans for Hong Kong to draft its inaugural five-year blueprint to dovetail with the national strategy starting in 2026—the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period.
This move is seen as a significant step to deepen Hong Kong's integration into national development, particularly amid opportunities in high-quality growth, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and other priority areas outlined in the national blueprint.