Terming the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s inaugural five-year plan as a historic milestone, foreign consuls general and business leaders based in the city have said the “remarkable balanced and forward-looking blueprint” will make a constructive contribution to strengthening the well-being of the city while boosting its international role.

Congratulating the SAR on unveiling the five-year plan, Anatoly Kargapolov, consul general of Russia in the HKSAR, said the SAR government has undertaken substantial work in preparing the inaugural plan, which covers a wide range of economic, social, and development priorities.

Saying that its alignment with the national 15th Five-Year Plan unlocks the city’s new industrial, technological, and economic growth frontiers, he said, “I sincerely hope that this five-year blueprint will contribute to the further expansion of trade and investment links between Russia and the SAR.”

Russian entrepreneurs are steadily showing their interest in Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages as a unique superconnector with the Chinese mainland, he said, adding: “There is no doubt that considerable potential exists for joint projects in the Northern Metropolis, which the plan rightly identifies as a new engine of growth and a platform for deeper integration with the (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area.”

Hassan Doutaghi, consul general of Iran, termed completing “such a comprehensive and complex undertaking” in less than a year as a notable achievement, particularly in view of the extensive consultation, consensus-building, and consideration of relevant experiences.

“Building upon Hong Kong’s longstanding role as a ‘meeting place of East and West’ and its position as an international hub for trade, finance, shipping and aviation, Hong Kong could further strengthen its international role by developing into a global hub for presenting and connecting the ancient civilizations of the world,” Doutaghi said.

By providing a platform for the shared presentation of the world’s diverse civilizational heritage, Hong Kong could complement its existing economic functions, promote cultural exchange and people-to-people connections, and further establish itself as a bridge between civilizations and between East and West, he added.

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India Club President Lachmandas Nandkumar termed the unveiling of the city’s first five-year plan alongside the 2026 Policy Address as a transformative milestone in the city’s governance.

“Chief Executive John Lee (Ka-chiu) has delivered a remarkably balanced and forward-looking road map that seamlessly pairs a medium-term economic vision with actionable public policy. By synchronizing Hong Kong's development directly with the national 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) while preserving our unique 'one country, two systems' advantages, this blueprint restores clarity and confidence for the global business community and that will significantly boost market confidence and attract global capital,” Nandkumar said.

What makes this policy package particularly commendable is its pragmatic focus on high-value growth alongside tangible social progress, he said.

“Measures like targeted tax incentives for key growth sectors, expanding international education and talent hubs, and accelerating the Northern Metropolis are exactly the catalysts needed to sharpen our global competitiveness,” he said.

Hung Chiu-wah, honorary consul of Sri Lanka in Hong Kong, proposed that the HKSAR government deepen its engagement with the rapidly emerging South Asian region, particularly Sri Lanka, following the announcement of the SAR’s first five-year plan, which calls on local enterprises to expand globally.

The recent participation of the delegation of Sri Lanka — a key partner in the Belt and Road Initiative — at the 11th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong last week marks a promising start, he said.

“Beyond official visits, there is immense potential to strengthen people-to-people ties through cultural, educational, and tourism exchanges. It can also boost bilateral trade in commodities and tourism. Cross-border trade also offers huge growth opportunities, given Sri Lanka’s strength in key exports like tea, cinnamon, gems and jewelry, seafood, and fresh fruits such as king coconuts.”

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Syed M Mohiuddin Mohi, president of the Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, termed the introduction of Hong Kong’s first five-year plan as “a landmark step that delivers long-overdue strategic clarity.”

“By replacing short-term policy cycles with a structured, multi-year road map, the government provides a more predictable path for growth. This forward-looking approach strengthens alignment between Hong Kong and national development priorities — while also protecting the city’s distinct strengths under ‘one country, two systems’, including its common-law system, open market and internationally oriented financial role,” Mohi said.

With clear performance indicators and a strong public administration framework, the blueprint offers both global investors and local residents a convincing vision of stability, innovation, and sustainable prosperity for Hong Kong’s next chapter, he added.