Policy, budget moves 'keep five-year plan on track'

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse said on Tuesday Hong Kong's first five-year plan will serve as a strategic development blueprint, while the policy address and budget help put it into action.

Speaking on a RTHK programme, she said the blueprint would outline the key tasks for the next five years and align with national development.

The blueprint also represents a roadmap of the city's long-term development, she added.

Tse said some people had asked if the five-year plan would overlap with the annual policy address and budget.

"The five-year plan is a major, top-level strategic document," she said.

"You can think of it as a grand blueprint with a vision, major strategies and important tasks while our annual policy address will review the economic environment at the time to make appropriate actions and policy implementation.

"The allocation of public resources is also important. The budget can also assess the situation at the time and set priorities for resource allocation to support the implementation of the five-year plan."

Tse said the government would analyse opinions collected during the two-month public consultation that started on Monday and include appropriate development suggestions in the blueprint.

The authorities, she added, are aiming to release the five-year plan by the third quarter of this year despite challenges posed by a tight schedule.

Edited by Raymond Yeung ...