Chen Maobo: "The 15th Five-Year Plan" provides clear direction for the future development of Hong Kong

On March 8, Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po stated in his blog that the "14th Five-Year Plan" outlines a comprehensive blueprint for the country's high-quality development, which is not only highly significant for the construction of a modern and strong country with Chinese characteristics and the great rejuvenation of the nation, but also serves as an important ideological guide for Hong Kong to seize new development opportunities and create new prospects. He believes that the "14th Five-Year Plan" provides a clear direction for Hong Kong's future development, and Hong Kong must deeply study and understand the strategic deployment of the plan, use it as a guiding ideology, actively align with the plan, fully support and implement the formulation of Hong Kong's five-year plan, and promote high-quality development in Hong Kong. Paul Chan Mo-po stated that Hong Kong, as an international financial, shipping, and trade center with a concentration of talents and unique advantages of "backed by the motherland and connected to the world," has great potential during the golden strategic period of the "14th Five-Year Plan". Hong Kong, under the principle of "one country, two systems," possesses unique institutional advantages and international characteristics. It has always been a platform and strategic partner for foreign investment to explore the mainland market and the best choice for mainland enterprises to expand into international markets. In harnessing the advantages of the vast mainland market and coordinating the high-level opening of the G-RESOURCES dual circulation, Hong Kong can make a positive contribution. Paul Chan Mo-po pointed out that the country is vigorously developing new productive forces, promoting the development of future industries such as artificial intelligence, the low-altitude economy, and biomedicine. Hong Kong can make good use of its international scientific research platform, professional services, and capital market advantages, introducing global innovative resources to the country and injecting new momentum into the local economy of Hong Kong. Hong Kong is advancing full-speed construction of the Northern Metropolis Area, especially key projects such as the Heituo Deep Bay Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone Hong Kong Park and the Nantian Science and Technology City, further promoting innovation cooperation in the entire Greater Bay Area, maximizing the integration of production factors such as technology, funds, talents, and materials, and realizing the greatest benefits of internal and external connections. He further mentioned that in the field of finance, Hong Kong is committed to consolidating and enhancing its status as an international financial center. More importantly, under the premise of security and control, it will empower various industries with the direction of "finance plus," support the accelerated development and application transformation of innovative technology, and better support the real economy to unleash its potential. Specifically, key areas will include financing for science and technology startups and venture capital development, strengthening the hub for offshore RMB business, developing green finance, and constructing ecosystems for gold and bulk commodity trading. He mentioned that when formulating the recently published fiscal budget, the Hong Kong government also actively cooperated with the overall development trend by deeply contemplating the development context and macro direction from the "14th Five-Year Plan" to the "15th Five-Year Plan." Therefore, the main themes proposed were "AI+" and "finance+." In the face of the challenges brought by the AI trend, multidimensional promotion of AI training for all was carried out, cooperating with local universities and professional institutions to provide systematic AI skills training for people of different ages and industries, ensuring that Hong Kong's workforce can adapt to and benefit from the future economic structural changes.