John Lee: Hong Kong will actively explore emerging market opportunities and deeply participate in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

On November 5, John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, attended the Hong Kong sub-forum of the 9th Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai. In his speech, he pointed out that Hong Kong's "circle of friends" is steadily expanding, and its economic and trade network is not a one-way channel but a multi-directional hub. Hong Kong has become the world's fifth-largest merchandise trading economy, has signed free trade agreements with 21 economies and investment agreements with 34 economies. The SAR government will continue to expand its international economic and trade network and play a greater role in the country's high-standard opening up. In addition to consolidating ties with traditional markets, Hong Kong will actively explore opportunities in emerging markets, focus on developing economies with potential, and deeply participate in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Speaking of Hong Kong's advantages and development direction, John Lee Ka-chiu said that finance is Hong Kong's foundation and greatest advantage, and that the Hong Kong International Financial Centre must demonstrate its international positioning. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Hong Kong will continue to strengthen its status as the world's largest offshore RMB business hub, further enhance the offshore RMB market's ability to support the real economy, and comprehensively improve support for trade, investment and financing, and cross-border business. He said Hong Kong will, focusing on the stock and bond markets, enhance market depth, breadth, and liquidity, and assist mainland enterprises in going global and international capital in coming in. At the same time, Hong Kong will leverage its "finance+" strategy to empower the real economy through finance, actively build an ecosystem for bulk commodities and gold trading, scientific and technological innovation, and green development, and serve the country's building of a financial powerhouse. In terms of the international shipping centre and international aviation hub, Hong Kong will, guided by "stabilizing container volume, increasing value, and strengthening coordination," accelerate its upgrade and transformation from a "large port in tonnage" to a "value port." At the same time, it will accelerate the development of modern shipping services, build a diversified and resilient international transport corridor system, promote the healthy and orderly development of international air cargo and the low-altitude economy, accelerate sea-air connectivity, and comprehensively enhance Hong Kong's hub function in the country's modern transportation network. On innovation and technology, John Lee Ka-chiu said that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Hong Kong will more proactively and closely align with the national science and technology strategy. At the upstream scientific research level, it will target national strategic science and technology fields, strengthen efforts to tackle key core technologies, and achieve scientific research breakthroughs in areas of core national demand. At the downstream industry level, it will accelerate the development of national strategic emerging industries and connect with industries in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, creating a deep synergy model of "high-end R&Dadvanced manufacturingmodern services," and contributing Hong Kong's strength to the building of the country's modern industrial system. As for the Northern Metropolis, he described it as having entered a stage of full-speed construction. The Hong Kong government will accelerate innovative and diversified development, attract industries, and develop the Northern Metropolis into an important strategic carrier for high-level post-secondary education, integration of innovation and technology industries, and the gathering of international high-end talent, making it a new engine for building Hong Kong's new quality productive forces. In summary, John Lee Ka-chiu said that as the country embarks on the new journey of the "15th Five-Year Plan," Hong Kong stands at a new starting point of the "First Five-Year Plan." The blueprint has been drawn, and it is time to forge ahead. The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a crucial period for Hong Kong to proactively ride the waves of the times. Hong Kong will fully leverage its advantages of internal connectivity and external access under "one country, two systems," perform well its role as a "super connector" and "super value-adder," consolidate and enhance its existing advantages, stimulate innovation momentum, and while achieving its own high-quality development, contribute Hong Kong's strength to integrating into and serving the country's building of a strong nation.