Five-year plan won't tie next admin's hands: Tse

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse has dismissed concerns that introducing Hong Kong's first five-year plan ahead of next year's government transition would constrain the next administration. A two-month public consultation for the document is running until mid-August, with authorities aiming to publish it in the third quarter. Speaking on a television programme on Sunday, the minister pointed out that the main purpose of the blueprint is to help Hong Kong better integrate into and serve the nation's overall development. “We are looking at the big picture, which is overall national development. We are planning for the long-term development of Hong Kong, not just for the next year or the year after next,” she said. “Our five-year plan is aligned with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan. So whether it is this administration's term or the next, the direction over the coming five years must serve that same purpose. “Additionally, if the direction of our development planning is correct, what is there that needs to be changed?” The five-year plan, she said, would focus on a macro perspective rather than setting too many rigid key performance indicators. However, the minister added there would be a steady review mechanism to keep track of the roadmap’s progress and ensure the city stays on course. Tse added that officials had already received around 1,000 suggestions and submissions from the public, many of them related to the Northern Metropolis, housing and elderly care. Edited by Tony Sabine