Hong Kong's largest labor union on Friday called for the upcoming 2026/27 Budget to prioritize healthcare policies, especially those related to medical fees and charges reform, and strengthen support in the economy and labor spheres such as local talent cultivation and retirement protection.
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions made the appeal after releasing the results of a survey on Hong Kong residents’ priorities for the 2026-27 Budget, which will be delivered by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po on Feb 25.
The survey interviewed 5,097 FTU members aged 18 and above between December and January.
Among various social‑livelihood issues, 72.34 percent of respondents expect the Budget to focus on health and medical care. Notably, this is the top concern across all the three age groups – 18 to 40, 41 to 60, and over 60 – that the survey covers.
Over 60 percent of respondents called for better elderly support and related services. Other key concerns included labor and employment assistance, education, as well as land and housing, each cited by over 40 percent of participants.
At a news conference held by FTU, lawmaker Bill Tang Ka-piu noted that revised waiver mechanism under the new medical fee and charge mode effective Jan 1 benefits about 1.4 million residents.
However, he said he has received numerous complaints and requests for help, and many of them related to complex paperwork for exemption applications. Some residents also pointed out that while the higher charges at accident and emergency services aimed to redirect patients using public medical services, the private healthcare sector has not kept pace — for instance, night clinics remain scarce in certain districts like Tuen Mun.
Tang urged the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government to refine the fee reform further, such as by lowering the automatic exemption age from 75 to 65 and speeding up the rollout of online applications and processing. He also called for ongoing oversight of the private healthcare system to ensure it effectively relieves public hospital pressure without becoming unaffordable.
The survey also found that on economic development, the main priority for over 70 percent of respondents is nurturing local talent, followed by support for local brands and regional growth, echoed by over half of the interviewees. Innovation, tech and tourism were each identified as priorities by more than 40 percent of respondents.
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Meanwhile on the labor front, over 58 percent want stronger retirement protection, while a majority also called for better mid‑to‑late‑career employment opportunities. Nearly 47 percent seek enhanced overall support for employment.
Lee Kwong-Yu, lawmaker representing the Labor functional constituency, said the Northern Metropolis could serve as an ideal platform, where he proposed to establish an innovation training hub to integrate industry and academic resources.
He suggested authorities should invite university professors to lead students in solving real business challenges, while also encouraging companies in key industries to adopt targeted programs that link internships directly to jobs.
The training hub should also be open to career‑changers and working professionals alike, offering practical support for local talent at all levels to switch fields or upgrade their skills, added Lee.
Lawmaker Kingsley Wong Kwok has urged the government to improve retirement protection, including fulfilling its pledge to paying Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions for low-income persons.
He also called for broader MPF reforms, including adjusting contribution limits, expanding the scope of the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund to cover the defaulted MPF mandatory contributions of employers, and introducing low fee MPF fund systems with stable returns.
The FTU said it will present the survey results and other detailed recommendations for the Budget during its meeting with the Financial Secretary on Monday.
Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com
