Boao Forum | John Lee: The national economy continues to grow, and Hong Kong should seize the opportunities firmly

Chief Executive John Lee today attended the plenary session of the Boao Asia Forum Annual Conference in Hainan. John Lee stated that in the face of a complex and changing external environment, Hong Kong has always been committed to maintaining free trade and multilateralism, firmly opposing unilateralism and protectionism. Continuously enhancing resilience to risks and adapting to changes, Hong Kong remains the best platform for foreign companies to deepen their presence in the mainland market and for mainland enterprises to expand overseas. As the national economy continues to grow, Hong Kong should seize this rare opportunity and proactively seek development breakthroughs.

John Lee pointed out that over the past few years, the SAR government has led the business sector to explore markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions, broadening the scope of international cooperation. Moving forward, Hong Kong should focus on emerging markets, explore broader development space, and, while integrating into and serving the country’s overall development, continue to deepen international exchanges and cooperation. This will help stabilize Asia’s economy and promote global economic progress toward greater inclusiveness, shared benefits, and win-win outcomes.

Challenging External Environment, Hong Kong Must Stand Firm and Move Forward Confidently

John Lee said that with the current escalation of conflicts in the Middle East and geopolitical instability, Hong Kong, as a globally recognized safe and stable financial hub, possesses a comprehensive financial system and professional services advantages. It can provide high-quality financial services to businesses worldwide, gather global capital, and jointly promote high-quality sustainable development. In such a complex and severe external environment, Hong Kong must stand firm and move forward with confidence, fully leveraging the unique advantages under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework, striving for economic growth, development, and integration, and actively integrating into and serving the country’s overall development.

He also mentioned that Hong Kong will make full use of cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence to continuously activate market vitality, promote the construction of the Hong Kong Science Park in the Northern Metropolis and the Hong Kong section of the Hezhen-Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation Cooperation Zone, and push for high-quality development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, deeply aligning with national strategies.