Kadin Examines Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan
The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) is closely monitoring the direction of the Five-Year Plan currently being drafted by the Hong Kong Government. According to the Secretary General of Kadin Indonesia’s Global Relations Office, Steven Marcelino, one of the key focuses within this Five-Year Plan is the strengthening of Hong Kong’s relationship with ASEAN, including Indonesia.
Steven stated that Kadin views Hong Kong and China as vital partners, as both are among the largest sources of investment for Indonesia. He noted that economic relations with Hong Kong and China must be balanced with Indonesia’s relationships with the United Kingdom, European nations, and the United States, in line with the government’s policy of strategic neutrality and non-alignment.
“In particular, there needs to be a proactive approach to increase market and investor confidence,” he said on the sidelines of the Greater Bay Area-ASEAN Summit 2026 in Hong Kong on Tuesday, 30 June 2026.
Steven mentioned that Kadin gained insight into this policy direction while attending APEC China 2026 and the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing in mid-June. “We heard directly about many key priorities and need to analyse how China’s newly announced Five-Year Plan will unfold,” said Steven.
According to Steven, Hong Kong will translate China’s Five-Year Plan into its own development strategy. “One of the components we heard from John Lee involves ASEAN and Hong Kong’s engagement with Indonesia,” he remarked.
In his opening speech at the Greater Bay Area-ASEAN Summit 2026, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee stated that his government is drafting Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan as a medium-term development blueprint. The document is aimed at deepening regional cooperation with ASEAN and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.
Trade relations between Hong Kong and ASEAN continue to strengthen. According to Lee, ASEAN has been Hong Kong’s second-largest trading partner for goods for 16 consecutive years. The value of goods trade between the two parties reached US$214 billion in 2024, representing a 29 per cent increase compared to the previous year, while services trade reached US$20 billion, up by 10 per cent.
Lee noted that investment ties are also strengthening. Since the signing of the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement and Investment Agreement nearly a decade ago, Hong Kong’s investment into ASEAN has increased by 54 per cent. Furthermore, Hong Kong is currently applying for accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and is seeking support from ASEAN nations for this process.
Lee stated that more than 830 ASEAN companies were operating in Hong Kong in 2024, a 13 per cent increase from the previous year. He added that these companies are utilising Hong Kong’s position to access the Chinese market, including the Greater Bay Area.