Joephy Chan says that as city’s first five-year plan enters the public consultation stage, all sectors of society should make full use of the process and share their views.

From June 16-17, Xia Baolong, head of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, conducted an inspection tour of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, focusing on the city’s integration with the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and the development of the Northern Metropolis. Just a day earlier, on June 15, the HKSAR government kicked off the two-month public consultation on the city’s first-ever five-year development plan.

Put together, these two developments send a clear message: The central government cares deeply about Hong Kong’s future and hold high expectations for its development. Xia’s inspection of innovation and technology facilities in the Northern Metropolis and the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals underscore the importance that the central government attaches to Hong Kong’s innovation and maritime sectors, providing both reassurance and renewed momentum for their future growth.

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We often speak of “integrating into the nation’s overall development strategy”, and at the community level, the most crucial question is how this grand vision can be translated into quality jobs, upward mobility, and a more-livable environment. That is precisely the challenge Hong Kong’s five-year plan must address.

Xia’s visit comes at a critical juncture. It offers valuable guidance on how Hong Kong can align its planning priorities more effectively with national development needs while leveraging its own unique strengths. In doing so, it provides important practical insights for a development blueprint that is currently under public consultation.

Xia’s visit to the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals is both encouraging and challenging for those who have long followed the development of Hong Kong’s maritime industry. For years, public discussion about Hong Kong’s status as an international shipping center has been dominated by comparisons of cargo throughput rankings, as though a decline in volume automatically equates to a loss of competitiveness.

The dedicated Hong Kong and Macao chapter in the 15th Five-Year Plan calls for consolidating Hong Kong’s competitive advantages and deepening cooperation within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. For Hong Kong’s maritime sector, the goal should not be to engage in a zero-sum competition with other ports merely over cargo handling volumes. Rather, we should focus on empowering the entire maritime supply chain of the Greater Bay Area and the nation by providing high-value-added shipping services.

Xia’s visit prompts us to reflect on the true foundations of Hong Kong’s position as an international maritime center: the rule of law, a simple and low-tax regime, free capital flows, internationally recognized professional services, and extensive global business networks. We must therefore accelerate our move up the maritime value chain. In my view, the maritime chapter of the five-year plan should embody the wisdom of strategic prioritization — knowing where to invest resources. Hong Kong should concentrate on developing high-value maritime services such as ship financing, leasing, marine insurance, maritime arbitration, derivatives trading, and commodity pricing.

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The future of the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals should not be defined merely by stacks of containers. Instead, they should evolve into a smart, green, and highly efficient logistics hub that serves as the physical backbone for these advanced maritime services. On one hand, we should introduce more ambitious tax incentives and regulatory facilitation measures to attract multinational shipping companies to establish regional headquarters in Hong Kong, thereby strengthening industry clusters. On the other, we should expand investment in talent development, drawing on successful precedents. Beyond training operational personnel, we must cultivate professionals with expertise spanning maritime affairs, finance, and law. Equally important is the need to let young people see the career prospects and clear pathway to the global professional stage, so that more young people devote themselves to the shipping industry.

As Hong Kong’s first five-year plan enters the public consultation stage, all sectors of society should make full use of the consultation process and share their views. Every practical suggestion contributes a valuable piece to Hong Kong’s development blueprint for the next five years. Together, we can help Hong Kong align more effectively with the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan, accelerate its development momentum, and build a future defined by stronger economic dynamism and a more caring, inclusive society.

The author is a member of the Legislative Council and the UN Association of China.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.