Hong Kong is positioning itself as a global hub where the next generation can develop their talents, with new policy initiatives and closer ties with emerging markets expected to create fresh opportunities.
Officials and business leaders made the remarks on Monday at the Global Youth Powerhouse Summit 2026.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the special administrative region’s First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development (2026-2030) and the 2026 Policy Address, unveiled in mid-September, both put young people at the center, with a focus on nurturing their growth and ambitions.
Citing the Northern Metropolis, a mega development project that covers about a third of Hong Kong’s land area, Lee said the SAR government is developing six industry parks covering sectors such as innovation and technology, advanced manufacturing, and modern logistics.
These parks will attract companies from around the world, creating high-level jobs and new opportunities for young professionals, he said.
“The younger generation is not only the beneficiary of our reforms — it is also the driving force behind them,” Lee said.
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In addition to the Hong Kong SAR’s inaugural five-year plan setting out a road map for strengthening its global competitiveness, the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), released earlier this year, also outlined support for Hong Kong to consolidate and enhance its role as an international center for finance, trade, shipping, innovation and technology, as well as legal services and dispute resolution.
Deputy Secretary for Justice Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan said these initiatives are opening up new opportunities for young professionals across a wide range of fields.
Cheung said the Department of Justice has been working closely with Chinese mainland authorities to connect the HKSAR’s professionals with mainland enterprises with strong growth potential. As mainland companies expand overseas, they will need world-class legal, financial and other professional services, he said.
For young professionals, Cheung said, this presents an opportunity to act as Hong Kong’s superconnectors and “super value-adders”, helping mainland enterprises enter global markets.
Business leaders at the summit also underscored the opportunities arising from Hong Kong’s extensive international network and the city’s strengthening ties with emerging markets.
Kazakhstan’s state-owned railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong stock exchange, shortly after a high-level business delegation led by Lee visited the country in June, said Frederick Ma Si-hang, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
He said eight other companies from Belt and Road Initiative markets have also filed applications to list in Hong Kong.
Ma said the HKTDC is looking to first increase staffing at its branch office in Almaty, Kazakhstan, to handle increasingly active business exchanges and information inquiries. As a next step, the council will study whether to upgrade the office or set up new offices in other Central Asian countries, such as Uzbekistan.
Bonnie Chan Yiting, CEO of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, pointed to strong investor interest in technology and artificial intelligence-related sectors, saying that demand for initial public offerings in these sectors remains robust.
She added that HKEX will ensure that efforts to attract technology and AI companies will not come at the expense of other sectors or smaller-cap firms, as HKEX aims to maintain an inclusive market.
