Policy Address

9. Despite the near-term challenges, abundant opportunities and our advantages remain. I will lead Hong Kong to grasp these opportunities and capitalise on our advantages, and develop new areas of growth. Hong Kong's future will be as bright, energetic, competitive and prosperous as ever.

10. The global economic shift to the east will continue, and Asia will remain an important driver of global economic growth. Steady growth – and well above the global average – is forecast for the Mainland economy this year and next. This will create continuing opportunities for Hong Kong.

11. The Central People's Government has rendered firm support to Hong Kong for our economic development to fully capitalise on our distinctive advantages under the "One Country, Two Systems" principle. We must fully leverage these advantages. That means proactively integrating into our country's development, serving well as the hub connecting the domestic and global markets, participating in and promoting such national strategies as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative. It also means making good use of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and related measures, while realising Hong Kong's development of "eight centres" as outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. Given our country's pursuit of high-quality development and market expansion, these, and other initiatives, present unlimited, long-term promise for Hong Kong.

12. Hong Kong must sustain and reinforce its distinctive advantages as a global city. We must maintain our international reputation, strengthen regional collaborations, pursue the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Middle East etc., and strive for early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), giving full play to our role as the bridge between the Mainland and the rest of the world.