Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Hong Kong Management Association 65th Anniversary Dinner today (November 17):

Professor Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (Chairman, Hong Kong Management Association), dear alumni, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good evening. I am delighted to be here, among you - nearly 1,000 senior Hong Kong executives - for tonight's dinner in celebrating of the Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA)'s 65 years of great work. Happy birthday for your 65th anniversary. Sixty-five years dedicated to advancing management excellence, training more than 1.3 million management executives playing pivotal roles in Hong Kong's success and continuing progress.

     Hong Kong is by a big component a servicing economy, with services accounting for more than 93 per cent of our GDP. Our strength is in the tertiary services sector, from trade and finance to professional services. That means we need talent to deliver the services that clients from around the world demand.

     That we have done and continue to do, I'm pleased and proud to say. It begins with our world-class education system. Five local universities are among the world's top 100, and Asia's top 10, in the recent QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) Asia University Rankings 2026, with the University of Hong Kong named Asia's top university.

     Our universities are also highly international, attracting top students from around the world, many of whom will remain in Hong Kong, serving our economy, and our community, after graduation.

     The percentages of non-local students in our UGC (University Grants Committee)-funded undergraduate programmes increased to 23.2 per cent in 2024/25, up four percentage points from 2022/23. In non UGC-funded undergraduate programmes, they more than doubled, from 7 per cent in 2022/23 to 18.7 per cent in 2024/25.

     And thanks to the wide-ranging talent schemes we've initiated over the past three years, Hong Kong has welcomed more than 230 000 strategic professionals and recent graduates from around the world. The Top Talent Pass Scheme's extension of stay applications have climbed as high as 55 per cent, I'm pleased to add.

     These are high-calibre professionals, mainly employed in the I&T (innovation and technology) and financial sectors. And 50 per cent of them earn a monthly income twice that of the local median income.

     I am grateful to the HKMA for its longstanding, remarkably successful work in management training. This year, the HKMA helped organise the Hong Kong International Talents Career Expo series, with the Labour and Welfare Bureau and Hong Kong Talent Engage as strategic partners. The series featured four expos between April and October, attracting more than 24 000 professionals and job seekers, along with widespread local and international media coverage.

     The HKMA's theme this year, "Excellence • Innovation • Growth", reflects the Government's vision for Hong Kong's long-term flourishing, as an economy and a community.

     Thanks to "one country, two systems" principle, Hong Kong plays a prominent role in international finance and trade. This year's World Competitiveness Yearbook ranked Hong Kong third, globally, up two spots over the previous year. And we topped the world in "business legislation" and "tax policy."

     In the Economic Freedom of the World Annual Report, recently released by the Fraser Institute, Hong Kong was once again named the world's freest economy. We also topped the ranking in "freedom to trade internationally."

     Hong Kong was also among the world's top three financial centres, the seventh-largest merchandise trading economy, the world's busiest air cargo hub and fourth among international maritime centres. And, yes, we finished fourth, globally, in the 2025 World Talent Ranking. Quite a year, I'd say.

     And there are more - the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster ranked first, overall, in this year's Global Innovation Index, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization. Hong Kong ranked fourth in the Swiss-based World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, released earlier this month. We ranked third, overall, in "technology."

     As for growth, we are dedicated to ensuring the long-term prosperity and sustainable economic development of Hong Kong. In that regard, the Government places great importance on accelerating the development of the Northern Metropolis. It will rise, soon, as a new engine for Hong Kong's economic development.

     That means installing myself as the Chair of the Committee on Development of the Northern Metropolis. It means streamlining workflow, removing unnecessary barriers and restrictions. It also means simplifying statutory procedures to fast-track development of the Northern Metropolis.

     The Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global, launched last month, is another priority. It's designed to smooth the way for mainland companies looking to go global. Hong Kong, thanks to our professional services prowess and our global outlook and experience, is best placed to do the smoothing.

     Earlier this month, in Shanghai, I spoke at the GoGlobal Task Force's first large-scale promotional event, highlighting Hong Kong's strengths, encouraging mainland enterprises to use Hong Kong to tap into overseas markets. The conference, I'm pleased to tell you, was well-received by the 500 participants.

     And we're just getting going, ladies and gentlemen. With GoGlobal and the Northern Metropolis, with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road and other national programmes. With our emphasis on creating excellence, innovation and growth for Hong Kong. For each and every one of you.

     That said, I count on the HKMA to continue your laudable and invaluable efforts in management and talent development. Speaking of which, I know that, later this evening, the HKMA's presentation ceremonies for Charter Membership and New Fellows, as well as the Hong Kong Sustainability Award, will take place.

     Allow me to congratulate the award recipients and winners, together with all who have contributed to Hong Kong's continuity of excellence and growth and development.

     I benefited from being an alumnus of HKMA.  I emphasise motivation and alignment of purposes. That's what I am doing in governing Hong Kong. There is one motivation I must emphasise: you must vote. I motivate you all to vote. So that Hong Kong will be fully aligned to achieve the greater purpose of success for the benefit of all of us. Alignment means the Government, the Legislative Council, and the society, will align when we all work towards the same goal. So voting for your representative to become a legislative councillor, so that they would help reflect views, give good advice to Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) Government, so we will all be aligned to work for the overall good of Hong Kong. So I practise what I have benefitted from HKMA to motivate and to ensure that we are all aligned for better successes. Every registered voter should not forget to cast their ballot at the Legislative Council's General Election, taking place on December 7. By supporting this important election, you are supporting Hong Kong. Today and tomorrow. This is a civil obligation. And I thank the Chairman, Winfried, for also motivating us, so he is aligning with me, and I am aligning with him.

     Ladies and gentlemen, I know you will enjoy tonight's dinner and 65th anniversary celebration. I wish you all the best of business and business management in the coming years. Thank you. Vote!

Ends/Monday, November 17, 2025
Issued at HKT 21:16

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