Driving Growth with Innovation and Technology (I&T)
Actively Align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan
Contribute to the country's modernised industrial system and technological self-reliance
Actively participate in the country's high-level two-way opening up
Attract high-calibre international talent
Driving AI+ Development
Top-tier design: establish Committee on AI+ and Industry Development Strategy to transform industries
AI empowering industries: Hong Kong AI Research and Development Institute to operate in second half of year to support R&D and transformation of outcomes
Computing infrastructure: take forward Sandy Ridge data facility cluster project
Enhancing AI literacy:
$50 million to help public organisations, tech enterprises and tertiary institutions set up AI application courses, seminars and competitions
Tertiary institutions to organise more AI-related programmes
Employees Retraining Board to become Upskill Hong Kong, providing skill-based training, including AI application
Empowering public services: $100 million to accelerate Government digital transformation with leading technologies
Expanding AI training for civil servants
Data utilisation: supporting more data-science analyses; new online interactive data service platform to be launched in March
Life and Health Technology
International Clinical Trial Academy to be established in 2027
$500 million injection for Chinese Medicine Development Fund to support strategic research, training and international publicity
Supporting Emerging Industries
Aerospace: OASES to attract aerospace enterprises; HKEX to review listing requirements for aerospace enterprises
Microelectronics: Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) and enterprises to establish Hong Kong RISC-V Alliance, forging collaboration among industries, academia and the investment sector
Proactive push for R&D and applications in embodied AI, quantum technology, new materials, etc.
$10 billion I&T Industry-Oriented Fund to begin operation this year
Review and enhance tax arrangements for R&D expenditures
New Industrialisation
New Industrialisation Elite Enterprises Nurturing Scheme to be launched this year, supporting high-growth enterprises
Around $220 million to establish the first national manufacturing innovation centre outside the Mainland
Northern Metropolis for I&T
Public-private partnership: tripartite co-operation of Government, developers and tech enterprises to channel land and corporate resources for industrial development and unleash land potential
Hetao Co-operation Zone Hong Kong Park: $10 billion to accelerate land development, provide infrastructure, establish venture fund, etc.
San Tin Technopole: establish dedicated company and inject $10 billion as initial capital
$10 billion to support initial operation of Hung Shui Kiu Industry Park Company Limited, beginning operation this year
Patient Capital
HKIC has invested in over 190 projects, with 10 investee companies listed and 20 preparing for listing. Attracting over $8 for every $1 invested
Financial Empowerment
Promoting Finance+
Offshore RMB market: reduce transaction costs for RMB and other currency conversions; attract more RMB-denominated bond issuances in Hong Kong; explore formation of offshore RMB yield curve
Mutual Market Access: expedite launch of Chinese Government Bond futures in Hong Kong, inclusion of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in mutual access, and inclusion of RMB trading counter under Southbound Stock Connect
Securities market reforms: consult the market on revised requirements for weighted voting right structures, facilitating secondary listing of overseas issuers, and implementing T+1 settlement cycles. Enhance structured product-listing framework and regulatory regime for listed companies
Custodian platform: study the establishment of one-stop multi-asset class post-trade securities infrastructure, covering Mainland and Hong Kong equity and debt securities
Asset and wealth management: legislate this year to enhance family offices and fund tax regime, and enable REITs privatisation. Amend the law next year to provide stamp duty waiver for transferring non-residential properties into REITs seeking to list
Corporate treasury centres (CTCs): relax criteria for stamp duty relief for intra-group transfer of assets. Applicable to instruments signed from today (25 Feb 2026). Announce in the year enhancement measures for CTCs, including additional tax incentives
Digital assets:
CMU OmniClear to establish digital asset platform in the year to support issuance and settlement of digital bonds
Establish licensing regime for digital-asset dealing and custodian service providers through legislation in the year
Gold trading: explore tax concessions for eligible institutions conducting gold trading and settlement in Hong Kong
Financial inclusion:
Amend the law next year to extend MPF "Full Portability" coverage to those employed before 1 May 2025
Consult the public this year on optimising recovery of default MPF contributions from employers
