The morning sun shines on the streets of Beijing, and the wind from Victoria Harbour seems to have blown into the conference room. On the morning of July 24, 2026, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with relevant departments and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, held the ninth joint meeting to support Hong Kong's full participation in and contribution to the construction of the the Belt and Road. This is not only a regular annual meeting, but also a crucial step for Hong Kong to find its position in the new pattern of national opening-up.

At the meeting, Zhou Haibing, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, reviewed the past cooperation process. He said that, taking advantage of the powerful east wind of the the Belt and Road, Hong Kong's international competitiveness and influence have further improved. At present, the Outline of the Fifteenth Five Year Plan of China has clearly supported Hong Kong's deep participation in high-quality joint construction of the the Belt and Road, which points out the direction for Hong Kong's future development.

Dual wheel drive of financial science and technology innovation

Zhou Haibing stated that in the future, the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant departments to empower Hong Kong from multiple dimensions. Firstly, we need to consolidate our traditional advantages, actively support Hong Kong in enhancing its position as an international financial center, expand its international shipping and trade networks, and make Hong Kong's bloodline more smooth. Secondly, we should cultivate new driving forces, accelerate the construction of international innovation and technology centers, and expand the space for green development cooperation. In addition, it is necessary to polish the golden signboard of the rule of law and utilize Hong Kong's mature legal system to help mainland enterprises set sail and solve their worries.

Proactively connect with the first plan

Lin Dingguo, Secretary of the Department of Justice of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, revealed an important signal at the meeting: Hong Kong is preparing its first five-year plan for docking with the the Belt and Road. This means that Hong Kong will shift from its previous follower style participation to a more proactive and systematic strategic docking. Next, Hong Kong will be committed to building an important functional platform and international cooperation hub for high-quality joint construction of the the Belt and Road. By pooling funds, projects, talents, technical standards, and professional services, we aim to promote collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland enterprises in going global, while also bringing in international resources.

Green digital intelligence expands into new domains

There is a broad consensus between both parties in specific areas of cooperation.   At the meeting, relevant departments of the Hong Kong SAR government provided a detailed introduction to recent work progress and put forward suggestions, which were responded to by the National Development and Reform Commission and relevant departments one by one. Representatives from multiple departments including the Central Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, the People's Bank of China, the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, and the State Administration for Financial Regulation were all present, demonstrating the strong support of the central government for Hong Kong's development. This conference is not only a summary of past achievements, but also a comprehensive mobilization for the future, helping Hong Kong achieve greater prosperity in serving the national strategy.Editor/Yang Meiling