As China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) kicks off, one thing is crystal clear: The nation’s path in aerospace and the broader space sector shines like a glittering star of national direction. There is a clear blueprint that outlines a fusion of vision and pragmatism. It reaffirms commitment to transforming China into a top space power; in many respects, it already is. China will accelerate technological self-reliance, expand deep-space exploration, and foster a vibrant, innovative, deeply commercial NewSpace ecosystem. For Hong Kong, a global city perched at the crossroads of East and West, this ambitious yet achievable plan presents a rare opportunity to leverage and multiply its unique strengths to secure a key role in the new space age. The city can, if it grasps what the Chinese mainland is offering, establish itself as a global NewSpace leader and an international hub for space sustainability.
China’s focus on space is just the logical extension of what has gone before. Aerospace is now at the heart of the country’s innovation-driven development strategy. It builds on the amazing successes of the Chang’e lunar missions, the Tianwen 1 (and soon Tianwen 3) Mars exploration missions, the Beidou satellite navigation system, and, of course, the cutting-edge Tiangong space station. Coupled with plans for human lunar habitation, the bold national strategy is a direct, turbocharged evolution from the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). It prioritizes four key pillars: deep space exploration, satellite infrastructure modernization, commercial space industrialization, and international collaboration. The last point is music to my ears, and given Hong Kong’s international superconnector status, it gives the city fantastic possibilities.
The current lunar focus is pivotal. China will launch Chang’e 7 in 2026 and Chang’e 8 in 2028/2029. These are missions in which the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have significant stakes. These missions will lay the groundwork for a robotic research station at the moon’s south pole, a precursor to the Chinese-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Mars remains another focal point, with plans for scientifically significant sample return missions and sustained robotic exploration. HKU has a direct interest in two international payloads on the Tianwen 3 Mars sample-return mission. Beyond these, the new blueprint hints at ambitions for asteroid mining and crewed deep-space missions.
Satellite networks will see rapid growth, with plans to scale up applications of the Beidou system, which are integral to global navigation, agricultural planning, logistics control, and disaster management. China leads the world in remote sensing deployments and next-generation remote sensing, communications, and Earth observation satellites. These will be further developed and deployed with the goal of creating an integrated, sovereign space infrastructure powerhouse that bolsters national security, drives economic modernization, and fosters international collaboration.
The commercial space sector, dubbed NewSpace, is earmarked for explosive growth. Several Chinese firms have already demonstrated independent launch capabilities and plans for reusable rockets, just as SpaceX does, with huge economic benefits. Chinese commercial aerospace will benefit significantly from sensible, robust policies that directly encourage public-private partnerships, coupled with tax incentives and streamlined regulations, to increase agility in a highly fast-paced domain. The plan envisions a HK$150 billion ($19.15 billion) domestic space economy by as early as 2030, an emerging pillar industry in which commercial ventures can contribute significantly, given that 84 percent of all satellites launched by China in 2025 were from the commercial sector. This is a tectonic shift from previous State-dominated models.
International collaboration remains a significant, strategic lever. China continues to seek international partners for the ILRS and the Belt and Road Space Information Corridor. I believe China is a strong, fair, and rules-based partner that can be trusted to deliver on its promises, as an objective assessment of its track record shows. China can be a global leader in inclusive, multipolar space governance for the benefit of all mankind.
The establishment of a dedicated Hong Kong Space Office is well overdue and needed for an effective Hong Kong aerospace innovation hub. If backed by cross-border funding programs and participation from the mainland and international partners, this would catalyze R&D collaboration
So, for Hong Kong, the 15th Five-Year Plan is both a challenge and an invitation. The city’s traditional pillars of financial excellence, logistical prowess, and top-level professional services capabilities are seen as largely earthbound, even as they increasingly rely on data and communications from satellites above our heads! The rapidly emerging NewSpace sector offers massive, untapped synergies. To take advantage of this, Hong Kong must act decisively across three key domains — tech-innovation, financial engagement, and global bridge-building, wherein the city has so many strong cards. Local universities, with their relevant research centers, such as those based at HKU, HKUST, and PolyU, along with the Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport, possess world-class expertise in AI, materials science, and miniaturization. These are critical fields for next-generation space technology. We could specialize in small-satellite development, space payload research and development and optimization, and, crucially, in space debris mitigation, space traffic management, and space situational awareness processes that align with national priorities. The establishment of a dedicated Hong Kong Space Office is well overdue and needed for an effective Hong Kong aerospace innovation hub. If backed by cross-border funding programs and participation from the mainland and international partners, this would catalyze R&D collaboration.
As Asia’s financial nucleus, Hong Kong is also uniquely positioned to fund the space economy. It could launch a space venture capital fund and attract global investors to back mainland NewSpace firms. Listing mechanisms for space startups on the local stock exchange, akin to Nasdaq’s role, would provide liquidity and visibility. Green bonds for sustainable space projects, or insurance products such as surety bonds tailored to launch risks, could establish Hong Kong as the region’s space-finance nexus.
The city’s legal system, English-language proficiency, and cosmopolitan culture make it an ideal conduit for China’s international space partnerships. It could host ILRS forums, mediate intellectual property disputes, or broker joint ventures between mainland entities and emerging space nations in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. By positioning itself as a neutral platform, Hong Kong can mitigate geopolitical tensions and amplify the nation’s “space silk road” concept.
Hong Kong’s potential ascent is not without obstacles. The city must address gaps in science, technology, engineering and match talent, where only 35 percent of university students are targeted to pursue science or engineering degrees, compared with more than 40 percent on the mainland. Enhanced scholarships, industry-university programs, and visa incentives for mainland and international experts could help bridge this gap.
Regulatory harmonization is another hurdle. While the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has taken steps, such as aligning local regulations with the mainland’s complex space laws, including for export controls and launch licensing, proactive dialogue with central authorities is needed. Infrastructure investments are also critical. Dedicated satellite ground stations in Hong Kong, integrated with the national network, are essential and would enhance data downlink capabilities. Partnerships with relevant Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area manufacturing hubs could streamline production of satellite components.
In summary, the 15th Five-Year Plan is more than a policy document; it is a direct manifesto for China’s space destiny. For Hong Kong, the message is clear. The space sector is no longer the exclusive domain of superpower governments or Silicon Valley billionaires but an international frontier where Hong Kong’s ingenuity, capital, and connectivity can propel both national and its own ambitions. To quote an ancient Chinese proverb, “When the winds of change blow, some build walls, others build windmills.” Hong Kong must choose the latter — to harness growth over maintaining the status quo by using change as a tool to gain perspective and to harness the solar winds of this space revolution, lest we drift into stagnation and irrelevance. The countdown has begun, and the city’s leaders must ignite the rocket engines to propel us forward and upward.
The author is the director of the Laboratory for Space Research at the University of Hong Kong and a commentator on China’s technological and scientific development.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
