Transport and Logistics Bureau of Hong Kong: Multi-pronged approach to optimize cross-border connectivity and improve the multimodal transportation network in the Greater Bay Area.

On January 22, Leung Chun-ying, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau, summarized his speech on the "Formulating the Development Vision of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Actively Connecting with the National 'Fifteenth Five-Year Plan'" proposal, stating that they will continue to deepen cooperation with various cities in the Greater Bay Area, with the goal of constructing a cross-border low-altitude network to promote the interconnection of people, goods, and information flow, injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area. Leung Chun-ying stated that the national "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" proposal passed at the Fourth Plenary Session of the Twentieth Central Committee once again clearly indicates the need to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's status as an international shipping center, laying a strong foundation for the development of Hong Kong's port and shipping services. In recent years, the Hong Kong government has been implementing various development strategies and measures at full speed to promote the development of Hong Kong's shipping industry. By 2025, Hong Kong has made significant progress in several areas, including establishing a high-level Hong Kong Maritime Port Development Authority to formulate long-term strategies; successfully conducting demonstrations and multiple commercial LNG ship-to-ship bunkering operations for the first time; and completing the construction of the port community system in preparation for its full launch. Looking ahead to 2026, the Transport and Logistics Bureau will adopt a multi-pronged strategy to further enhance the resilience and competitiveness of Hong Kong's shipping industry, including actively constructing a three-dimensional intermodal transport system of "iron, sea, land, and river" to expand the hinterland cargo to inland provinces and cities. Hong Kong will revise relevant legislation this year, in addition to further optimizing existing tax incentives for the shipping industry and introducing half-tax incentives for bulk commodity traders, will also further reform Hong Kong's ship registration system to enhance the flexibility of registration arrangements to attract more ships to register in Hong Kong. In terms of international aviation hubs, Hong Kong will promote a series of policy measures in multiple aspects to actively cooperate with the recommendations of the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan." It will actively expand the Hong Kong aviation network, strategically attracting local and non-local airlines to develop new routes and flights, focusing on regions with further development potential and growth points. At the same time, it is committed to strengthening cooperation with cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to improve the intermodal transport network of the Greater Bay Area. In terms of the development of low-altitude economy, Hong Kong will actively respond to the strategic deployment of the national "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" proposal, dedicated to the development of the low-altitude economy to drive regional coordinated development through innovation and technology. Hong Kong will fully leverage the unique advantages of "one country, two systems" to promote the development of the low-altitude economy in areas such as legislative review, infrastructure construction, and expansion of application scenarios. In addition to promoting the local application of the low-altitude economy, Hong Kong also focuses on promoting cross-border low-altitude economic activities. The government has actively engaged with relevant mainland units and established a cooperation communication mechanism to discuss key issues such as cross-border low-altitude flight route planning and cargo clearance mechanisms. Furthermore, leveraging its sound legal foundation and international regulatory experience, Hong Kong will actively promote the standardization and institutionalization of the development of the low-altitude economy through reviewing existing regulations and policy frameworks, providing a model for the low-altitude management system, and assisting in the safe, orderly, and sustainable development of the national low-altitude economy industry. In the future, Hong Kong will actively connect with national planning and integrate into the overall national development when formulating policies in various areas including aviation, shipping, and logistics, to consolidate and enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong's shipping and aviation industries, and continue to leverage Hong Kong's advantages of "internal connection and external communication" to support the high-quality development of the country.