The Chief Executive‘s 2025 Policy Address (Overview)
On Sept 17, the chief executive John Lee published the 2025 Policy Address.
The following is an overview of the Policy Address:
Chapter l Deepen Reforms and Committed to People's Livelihood
Chapter ll Steadfastly and Successfully implement "One Country, TwoSystems" and Strengthen Our Governance Systems
Chapter III Accelerate the Development of the Northern Metropolis
Chapter IV Industry Development and Reform
Chapter V Integrate into the Overall National Development
Chapter VI Consolidate Hong Kong’s Status as an International Hub
Chapter VII Promote the Integrated Development of Education, Technology and Talents
Chapter VIII Promote the Integrated Development of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Chapter IX Facilitate Stable Living in a Caring and Inclusive Society
Highlights:
Establish the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis
- Raise the level of decision-making by establishing the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis chaired by the Chief Executive.
- Introduce dedicated legislation to empower the Government to devise simplified statutory procedures for accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis.
Education, Technology and Talents
- Increase the number of places for non-local students to study in Hong Kong on a self-financing basis and the provision of student hostels, attracting more international teaching and research talents and students.
- Promote intellectual property (IP) financing, valuation and protection to further boost IP trading
Local Economy and Local Labor Protection
- Inject $1.43 billion into the BUD Fund and expand its geographical scope
- Set up the “Economic and Trade Express“(經貿一站通) to assist local SMEs in exploring business opportunities overseas
- Ensure the employment priority of local workers and enhance the eligibility requirements for importing waiters/waitresses and junior cooks under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme
- Strive for early passage of the legislation on regulating ride-hailing services to safeguard the public's travel safety
International Financial Center
- Continuously strengthen the stock market by exploring shortening the stock settlement cycle from T+2 to T+1, support China Concept Stock companies to return and choose Hong Kong as their preferred destination, etc.
- Formulate legislative proposals regarding the licensing regimes for digital asset dealing and custodian service providers.
- Set up the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global (内地企業出海專班), integrating of InvestHK, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and the Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs), to proactively attract Mainland enterprises to use Hong Kong in expanding their businesses overseas, and to formulate proposals for them.
