Hong Kong Unveils Strategic Plan for Northern Metropolis and Global Talent Hub

Hong Kong's Chief Executive, John Lee, announced the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) and his fifth Policy Address on September 16, 2026. The plan prioritizes accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis (NM) and establishing an international hub for high-calibre talent. According to Lee, the NM will serve as a strategic vehicle for advancing post-secondary education, integrating innovation and technology (I&T) with industry, and pooling international talent. It will also deepen Hong Kong's engagement with other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and support national development.

A key initiative is the creation of the Northern Metropolis University Town (NMUT), which integrates education, technology, industry, talent, and quality living. Chief Secretary for Administration, Chan Kwok-ki, detailed that the NMUT will comprise three university towns in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu, and Ta Kwu Ling, with campus areas covering about 300 hectares. Together with surrounding technology, industry, and living areas, the total planned area will exceed 1,000 hectares. Each university town will have its own strategic focus, but collectively they aim to expand Hong Kong's education and research capabilities, connect with industry chains and markets locally and across the GBA, and inject growth impetus. The first building, Building 1 of the Loop Hong Kong Park, is scheduled for completion by the end of this year and will be the flagship project for launching the NMUT.

To support the NMUT, the government will expand post-secondary education capacity. Starting from the 2027/28 academic year, the annual quota of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme will gradually increase from 400 to 550 places by 2029/30. Additional funding of $20 million per academic year will be provided to support knowledge transfer and accelerate the transformation of innovative outcomes. Chan emphasized that the NMUT will consolidate Hong Kong's status as an international hub for post-secondary education and serve as a primary platform for engaging with the Greater Bay Area and integrating into national development, while also enhancing international connectivity and global competitiveness.

The Northern Metropolis accounts for about one third of Hong Kong's total landmass and is projected to house about one third of its population. The First Five-Year Plan targets making available about 900 hectares of "spade-ready sites" from 2026-27 to 2030-31, enabling over 70,000 housing units and one million square metres of economic floor space. Among the nine New Development Areas in the NM, construction has begun at four: Kwu Tung North/Fanling North, Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long South, and San Tin Technopole and the Loop. A cumulative total of about 120 hectares of spade-ready sites were produced up to 2025-26, with no less than 200 hectares planned for 2026-27 and 2027-28.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan underscored the importance of talent, stating, "Talent is the most valuable asset of any economy." The 2026 Policy Address includes initiatives to attract talent, such as relaxing stay extension requirements under the Top Talent Pass Scheme for technology start-up talent and expanding the Immigration Facilitation Scheme for Invited Persons to cover Central Asia and the Middle East. A new visa category will also be introduced for non-locals participating in short-term training programmes, advancing Hong Kong's development as a regional training hub.

For more information on Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan, visit the dedicated website at www.hk5yplan.gov.hk. Additional resources are available through Brand Hong Kong at https://www.brandhk.gov.hk/.