Hong Kong’s 5-year plan, policy continuity offer investors more stability, experts say

Hong Kong's inaugural five-year plan, presented alongside its fifth policy address, provides investors with greater stability and opportunities, according to experts. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the city's first five-year development plan as part of his final policy address of his current term. The plan, covering 2030, outlines Hong Kong's role as a financial, maritime, aviation, and trade center, as well as a high-calibre talent hub, under the "four centres, one hub" concept.

The 22 indicators in the plan include five binding and 17 anticipatory goals, which will be reported on in annual work reports to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The 60,000-word plan emphasizes the "Northern Metropolis" project, a 30,000-hectare megaproject near the Shenzhen border aimed at promoting high-standard tertiary education, innovation, industry development, and talent attraction.

The project targets raising "spade-ready sites" from 120 to 900 hectares by 2030 and increasing completed homes in the Northern Metropolis to 70,000.

Other initiatives include accelerating the development of an international gold trading market, expanding Hong Kong's offshore renminbi businesses, and developing a commodity ecosystem, particularly with measures to support gold trading. These moves aim to strengthen Hong Kong's position as a global financial hub and provide more assurance to investors, particularly amid competition from other markets like London and Singapore.