16K entries received for HK's 5-year plan consultation

Hong Kong's inaugural five-year plan consultation has concluded, receiving more than 16,000 submissions from citizens and stakeholders across various sectors. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse emphasized the enthusiastic public response, stating that both the general public and stakeholders took the process seriously and were eager to contribute.

Over 100 sessions were held during the consultation, with Chief Executive John Lee personally leading around 30 sessions to gather input from different industries and professional groups. Authorities also visited other Greater Bay Area cities to seek feedback on aligning with regional development. The first five-year plan is crucial for seizing international and national development opportunities and is an integral part of the national 15th Five-Year Plan.

Key topics raised in the submissions included advancing the development of the Four Centres and One Highland, as well as accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis. Concerns over livelihood issues such as housing, healthcare, education, and welfare were also expressed. Given the vast amount of feedback, the government is utilizing artificial intelligence to help synthesize and analyze the collected views. The final document is expected to be released in September.