John Lee: Developing innovation and technology to lead new quality productive forces is no longer an optional question, but a mandatory one.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu today (13th) attended the "2026 Technology + New Quality Productive Forces Summit Forum" hosted by the Hong Kong Chinese Friendship Association, where he emphasized that amid accelerating breakthroughs in the global technological revolution and industrial transformation, developing innovation and technology to lead new quality productive forces is no longer an optional question, but a mandatory one. In his address, John Lee Ka-chiu stated that Hong Kong's development of new quality productive forces adheres to three important directions. First, aligning with national strategies and serving the building of a strong nation. This year marks the opening year of the national "15th Five-Year Plan," which explicitly proposes promoting deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation, developing new quality productive forces in accordance with local conditions, and continuing to support Hong Kong in building an international innovation and technology center. The SAR government last month published the "Hong Kong First Five-Year Plan," comprehensively aligning with the national "15th Five-Year Plan," proposing to accelerate the development of national strategic emerging industries and build a new quality productive forces system with Hong Kong characteristics tailored to local conditions. Hong Kong will continuously open up new economic tracks, becoming a breeding ground for global new technologies, new products, and new models, while vigorously advancing new industrialization, promoting deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy, and serving the building of a strong nation in science and technology. John Lee Ka-chiu pointed out that the second direction is to consolidate collaborative forces and form a full-chain framework. Hong Kong must dare to break down barriers, promote efficient collaboration across different sectors of "government, industry, academia, research, and investment," and transform scientific research achievements into market products. The authorities will continue to make good use of Hong Kong's advantages as an international financial center, guiding diversified capital into the innovation and technology sector. They will also accelerate the construction of the Northern Metropolis, using it as the primary growth engine for higher education and innovation and technology development, promoting integrated development of education, technology, and talent, providing abundant land and spatial support for new quality productive forces, while continuously optimizing talent policies, attracting top global talent, and building a highland for international high-end talent. Third is to leverage Hong Kong's advantages and expand its role as a connector between the mainland and the world. The key to Hong Kong's development of new quality productive forces lies in leveraging its world-leading professional services and unique advantages in international connectivity, making good use of the domestic and overseas scientific research strengths gathered in Hong Kong's universities, integrating the mainland's vast market and complete industrial chain, strengthening research and development in frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, life and health technology, and new energy, and comprehensively promoting deep integration of technological breakthroughs, industrial transformation, and data flows.