The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) has announced the rollout of three major strategic plans, aligning with the government's recently published first Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong and the 2026 Policy Address. Chamber Chairman Kwan Chak-bun described the first Five-Year Plan as a landmark development for the city, noting it represents the city's first medium-to-long-term blueprint and signifies a shift in the government's approach from passive coordination to proactive planning, which will provide the business community with clearer and more stable operating expectations.
The three initiatives are designed to help members unlock opportunities in the Northern Metropolis, promote comprehensive adoption of artificial intelligence, and expand overseas through top-tier international networks, offering businesses a robust strategic engine to capture the next wave of growth while enhancing their global competitiveness. Regarding the Northern Metropolis, the Chamber aims to establish itself as the premier platform for dialogue between government and business, delivering comprehensive support across six key sectors — infrastructure, financing, innovation and technology, talent, sustainable development, and livability.
To accelerate AI adoption and strengthen Hong Kong's AI ecosystem, the Chamber is rolling out a four-phase strategy that includes establishing an AI application benchmark for SMEs, creating an AI application exchange platform, forming AI practice groups, and putting forward evidence-based policy recommendations. On the overseas expansion front, the strategy seeks to assist mainland enterprises in using Hong Kong as a launchpad to reach international markets, built on two core pillars — the Chamber will bring together professional members to offer services covering international law, taxation, and financing, beginning with Malaysia as the pilot market before extending to ASEAN, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The Chamber also voiced full support for advancing the "Financial+" initiative, further cementing Hong Kong's leading status as an international hub for finance, shipping, aviation, trade, and innovation. It welcomes government efforts to promote financial innovation, including digital assets and tokenisation applications, to elevate Hong Kong's role in maritime finance, insurance, and sustainable finance, as well as strengthen backing for financing of innovative enterprises and the development of the commodity trading ecosystem.
Additionally, the Chamber supports consolidating Hong Kong's strengths as a cross-border wealth management centre and a global offshore RMB business hub, attracting regional headquarters and corporate treasury centres to set up in the city, driving the transformation toward smart and green shipping, strengthening aviation links with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, speeding up the development of key innovation and technology platforms such as the Hetao Cooperation Zone and San Tin Technopole, and boosting R&D investment and the innovation ecosystem. It also backs deepening cross-border clinical trial and research collaboration to position Hong Kong as an international healthcare innovation hub.
Meanwhile, the HKGCC will leverage its unique advantages as a "super connector" and "super value-adder" to precisely match suppliers with high-growth global markets, building bridges for business expansion — including a delegation to Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia in September, followed by future visits to Central Asia and the Middle East.