14 key takeaways from John Lee’s policy address, Hong Kong’s first 5-year plan - South China Morning Post

Connor MycroftPublished: 5:37pm, 16 Sep 2026Updated: 9:55pm, 16 Sep 2026Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has placed deepening integration with mainland China and developing new economic engines centre stage as he unveiled the city’s first-ever five-year plan alongside the last policy address of his term.During his landmark speech on Wednesday, which ran just one minute shy of three hours, Lee laid out how the city’s first five-year plan would align the city more closely with the national development blueprint, while the policy address would serve as the “action agenda”.

The five-year plan has set 22 major indicators, with 17 being anticipatory goals and five being binding targets.

Four of the five binding targets focus on environmental protection, such as reducing carbon emissions per unit of GDP, as well as raising the number of “spade-ready sites” in the Northern Metropolis by 2030.