Hong Kong’s inaugural five-year plan will not change the capitalist system and instead fully exploit its advantages to map the city’s long-term development, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said.
In an opinion piece published in the South China Morning Post on Monday, the city leader also stressed that the blueprint, in focusing on the economy, would ultimately “enable citizens to flourish” by creating employment opportunities and upward mobility.
Lee will unveil Hong Kong’s first-ever five-year plan on Wednesday, alongside his annual policy address, to map out the city’s priorities and align with the national blueprint covering the country’s development between 2026 and 2030.
In the article, he sought to address concerns that introducing the five-year plan, a practice in mainland China for over seven decades, meant the city was walking away from its long-hailed laissez-faire system.
“I have also been asked whether formulating a five-year plan would change Hong Kong’s original system. The answer is no,” Lee wrote.
“The five-year plan will uphold Hong Kong’s rule of law and capitalist system, implement the Basic Law and adhere to ‘one country, two systems’ without distorting Hong Kong.