香港公布首个五年计划，李家超推北部都会区与AI产业

Hong Kong has set out a plan to nearly double the city's spending on innovation in the coming years, as chief executive John Lee seeks to align the financial hub more closely with Beijing's economic priorities. The new economic targets were announced as Lee delivered Hong Kong's first five year plan, a blueprint for the economy and adopting a top down planning tool that Beijing has deployed since the 1950s. Hong Kong will also target GDP growth within a reasonable range through 2030, while pivoting AI as a core industry.

The centerpiece of Lee's tech drive is the Northern Metropolis, a megaproject which borders with Shenzhen. Lee has set a binding goal of increasing speed reading sites, or plots that can be readily used for development, to 900 hectares by 2031. That's a 750% increase from this year. Lee also delivered his annual policy address after the five year plan, offering more immediate support to households, which means extending the one time baby bonus of $2,550 for three years, boosting child allowances for two or more kids and lowering property stamp duty for new parents.

This is Hong Kong and tries to attract more talent to the city. Just weeks after Singapore announced several childcare benefits to support families in the city state. Now, setting a five year plan does raise a question of whether Hong Kong is moving away from its light touch governance and capitalist system. Lee pledged to preserve Hong Kong's international status, strengthening the city's role as a renminbi hub, developing gold trading while boosting its global appeal through tourism, mega events and expanding Hong Kong's Disneyland.

The key question is, is John Lee the right leader to see through this five year plan, which outlasts his term? This could be his pitch to Beijing to secure a second five year term, potentially becoming the first chief executive to do so since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997. In Hong Kong, I. Yvonne Man Bloomberg News.