Demand-led talent policy to anchor HK's first 5-year plan

Hong Kong's leader John Lee said the city’s talent policies will remain demand-led, and a comprehensive manpower study is set to be released within the year.

This comes as Lee delivered the remark during the second district consultation forum on the city’s first Five-Year Plan and the 2026 Policy Address, which took place at Kowloon Tong Government Primary School. 

During the session, residents raised a wide range of issues, including youth housing, the falling birth rate, and a shrinking workforce. In response, Lee stressed that Hong Kong's talent policy will be guided by actual market needs - meaning the city will bring in only the types of talent that are truly required. He also confirmed that the government will release the results of its study on talent demand and overall manpower needs before the end of the year.

On youth matters, Lee said the government has released a dedicated youth development blueprint and will keep rolling out new initiatives to keep up with changing circumstances. On employment, he said the government is closely tracking unemployment trends and will focus on creating new job opportunities while pushing businesses to upgrade and transform.

Lee highlighted several key priorities, including better career guidance, direct financial support for young entrepreneurs in the Greater Bay Area, and more opportunities for young people to take part in local district affairs.

Lee said it is vital to keep workers' skills up to date. He added that the Employees Retraining Board (ERB) will be reformed to offer more practical and current training. "There is no future without technology," he said, pledging to speed up Hong Kong's efforts in innovation and artificial intelligence to stay competitive.

Cultural development also came up during the session. An attendee proposed that the government should take the lead in creating a unique Hong Kong cultural IP to draw in international visitors. Lee responded with a firm commitment to government support across funding, venues, and policy, all aimed at building a "Hong Kong brand" with global recognition. At the same time, he reminded the industry that it has its own role to play.

Don't miss: HK launches public consultation for first 5-year plan

Back in June, Hong Kong initiated a public consultation process for its first-ever five-year plan for regional economic and social development. The framework is designed to provide a forward-looking, strategic blueprint for the city over the next five years. Together with principal officials, Lee said the government has held over 90 sessions. It has received about 13,800 submissions on the five-year plan and around 8,500 on the Policy Address.

The consultation for the five-year plan closes this Friday (14 August), and the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs will give a summary then. "The issues raised are broadly similar across both exercises, which is expected since the five-year plan is the blueprint for Hong Kong's development over the next five years, while the Policy Address serves as the annual implementation report and sets out the chief executive's policy priorities," Lee said. 

The proposal outlines comprehensive strategies to deepen Hong Kong’s financial markets by fostering collaborative growth across equity, bond, asset management, wealth management, insurance, and risk mitigation sectors.

"The relationship between the five-year plan and the Policy Address is that of a long-term blueprint and its annual implementation. The five-year plan serves as a macro-level blueprint, while the Policy Address adjusts the approach each year in response to the international environment, economic forecasts, and evolving circumstances, putting the blueprint into action and setting out the year's major projects, infrastructure initiatives, and policy priorities," Lee said.

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