Unveiling her fifth annual Policy Address titled "Building a Bright Future Together," the Chief Executive, Mrs. Carrie Lam, set out her plan for the future of the city.
Hong Kong Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, releases the 2021 Policy Address at the Legislative Council.
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Under the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), and the Plan for Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening Up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Co-operation Zone, enterprises and professional services providers in Hong Kong are presented with unlimited opportunities, Mrs. Lam said.
A flagship initiative of the Policy Address is the Northern Metropolis and the Harbour Metropolis, which, spearheading their respective economic engines and complementing each other, will drive the future development of Hong Kong.
The Northern Metropolis will be developed as an international I&T (innovation and technology) hub with unique metropolitan landscape marked with 'Urban-Rural Integration and Co-existence of Development and Conservation,' while the Harbour Metropolis supporting Hong Kong’s status as an international financial center will be expanded to include the reclaimed land of the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands under the Lantau Tomorrow Vision.
Another new initiative is the InnoLife Healthtech Hub in the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, which will be set up at the Lok Ma Chau Loop, at the boundary between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Start-ups and large enterprises in life and health disciplines can gain a foothold in Hong Kong so as to leverage its strengths in the area and the market potential of the GBA," Mrs. Lam said.
Alongside the above initiatives, the Government will also step up its efforts in the following economic areas: enhancing Hong Kong's status as an international financial center, as well as an international transportation center and an international trade center; consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub; developing Hong Kong into an international legal and dispute resolution services center in the Asia-Pacific region; developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West Center for international cultural exchange; and developing Hong Kong into a regional intellectual property trading center.
To further boost financial services, Mrs. Lam proposed enhancing the listing regime, expanding offshore Renminbi business and promoting green finance.
On high value-added maritime business services such as ship registration, ship finance and management, marine insurance, and maritime legal and arbitration services, tax concessions will be introduced to attract members of the maritime industry to establish a business presence in the city. The overseas service network of the Hong Kong Shipping Registry will also be expanded to provide new desk services in San Francisco, Tokyo and Toronto to provide better support for Hong Kong-registered ships.
Improving people's livelihood is another priority for the current-term Government. The Policy Address sets out plans for Hong Kong to become a smart, vibrant, green and carbon-neutral city.
On the technical front, since the launch of 5G services in Hong Kong last year, network coverage has now exceeded 90 per cent, rising to 99 per cent in core business districts.
On the environmental front, the Government will devote about HK$240 billion (US$30.76 billion) to take forward various measures on climate change mitigation and adaptation in the next 15 to 20 years, and foster a low-carbon lifestyle including green buildings, electric vehicles and phasing out the use of coal for daily electricity generation.
To achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, the Chief Executive said the Government is set to unveil Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050, and will establish an Office of Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality to oversee the effective implementation of measures on reducing carbon emissions.
Addressing the issues brought by a rapidly ageing population, Hong Kong will expand various talent admission programs to attract non-local talents across a range of specialized sectors, including arts and culture, to enrich the city’s talent pool.
The full version of the 2021 Policy Address can be found here. |
