Hong Kong's government has unveiled its first five-year plan and a report on poverty alleviation, coinciding with a visit from Beijing's top official on Hong Kong and Macau affairs, Xia Baolong. The administration, led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, presented these initiatives as evidence of progress and alignment with national objectives. The five-year plan is intended to unify development efforts across various sectors, setting a clear direction and pace for the city's advancement. This comes shortly after Hong Kong rose one spot to become the world's second-most competitive economy, according to the International Institute for Management Development's latest ranking. However, critics suggest that the government's approach to poverty alleviation involves redefining the issue rather than addressing its fundamental causes, highlighting a persistent disparity between the affluent and the impoverished in the city.
