HONG KONG -- John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said on Thursday that Hong Kong will actively align with the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan to contribute to further deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization.

Lee extended his sincere gratitude for the country's steadfast support and care for Hong Kong as demonstrated by the inclusion of multiple provisions in the 15th Five-Year Plan to promote Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, and to deepen the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"I will lead the HKSAR government to earnestly fulfil its role in bearing the primary responsibility for the governance of Hong Kong, unite various sectors of the community to actively support and proactively align with the National 15th Five-Year Plan," he said.

Lee said that through formulating a systematic policy framework, the HKSAR government will map out strategic initiatives of greater comprehensiveness, higher precision and in finer detail for key development areas, and draw up a macroscopic, strategic and forward-looking five-year plan for the first time for Hong Kong. The preparatory groups set up earlier will work in full speed to complete the Hong Kong five-year plan within this year.

Lee said that Hong Kong's first five-year plan, aligned with the National 15th Five-Year Plan, will have far-reaching implications. Serving as the collective action framework for the HKSAR, it will outline Hong Kong's development vision, core objectives, key areas and major initiatives over the next five years.

A spokesperson for the HKSAR government concluded that with the robust support of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong shall continue to consolidate and enhance its international competitiveness, deepen international exchanges and co-operation, strengthen its bridging role, and pioneer a new phase of high-quality development.

In doing so, Hong Kong will better integrate into and serve the national development strategy, contributing to the country's strength and the great cause of national rejuvenation, the spokesperson added.