Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has designated artificial intelligence as the "central plank" of the city's economic development strategy, signaling a decisive policy shift to capture growth in the technology sector.
Lee outlined the direction during remarks on Tuesday, stating that the city's high-quality economic development will be guided by its first five-year blueprint and the forthcoming policy address.
The administration is positioning AI as the primary engine for future expansion, aiming to align Hong Kong's industrial base with global technological trends.
The strategic emphasis on AI comes as Hong Kong equity markets have struggled to participate in the broader global technology rally.
The territory has emerged as the worst-performing major equity market this year, failing to capture the momentum seen in other hubs where technology valuations have surged.
This underperformance has weighed on investor sentiment despite strong underlying capital market activity.