The Zhitong Finance App learned that the Hong Kong Government is conducting public consultations on the first five-year plan and the new Policy Address. After submitting the five-year plan proposal in June this year, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce will submit supplementary proposals to the Hong Kong Government today (7th), putting forward nearly 70 specific proposals. It covers areas such as innovation and technology and new industrialization development, the construction of a northern metropolitan area, building a high value-added supply chain service center, and brand development. In terms of encouraging the application of AI in industry, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce promotes financial support for AI applications in the industry, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, such as “computing power vouchers” and “model vouchers”. It also suggests using financial incentives to enhance the interest of small and medium-sized enterprises in applying AI by optimizing existing funds or introducing special funding plans.
In terms of the development of Beidu, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce supports the government in expanding the size of the Beidu University City. It suggests drawing on the “Shenzhen University City” experience to promote inter-university collaboration and campus integration, attract local, mainland and overseas institutions to set up sites in Hong Kong, and enhance the capacity of an international education hub. At the same time, in line with innovation, technology and industrial development, exhibition facilities will be expanded, focusing on activities such as local, Greater Bay Area and international innovation and technology exhibitions, scientific research transformation exhibitions, university education fairs, and large-scale academic conferences to strengthen the international exchange function of education and research.
At the same time, the Hong Kong Manufacturers Association also proposed that the food and health products industry be officially included as “Made in Beidu” and a key industry to attract investment in the industrial park, and that the government take the lead in carrying out site selection research and conceptual planning for the “Hong Kong Food Science and Technology Industrial Park” to make every effort to create a high-end high-quality brand image of “Hong Kong Food”.
As for Hong Kong's first five-year plan proposal, the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce proposed earlier to promote a new round of upgrading of CEPA liberalization measures under the “15th Five-Year Plan” and seek from the central government to further optimize liberalization measures for Hong Kong enterprises and professionals to enter the mainland market, including lowering market entry thresholds, expanding mutual recognition of professional qualifications and the convenience of practice. It is also proposed to add a special section on “Cross-border Taxation” to the CEPA agreement to focus on discussing relevant special tax arrangements; at the same time, explore the concept of a “pre-free trade agreement area” under the CEPA framework and pilot it first.