Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today chaired the second meeting of the third-term Human Resources Planning Commission to brief members on the manpower development initiatives in the Policy Address.

Mr Chan noted that the Government accords high priority to training local manpower, attracting and retaining talent, and promoting local employment.

The Policy Address sets out an array of initiatives on manpower development accordingly to strengthen Hong Kong’s role as the gateway for talent from both the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and overseas.

Mr Chan said the Government will press ahead with the various initiatives, while expanding the potential labour force continuously, to meet the needs of Hong Kong’s economic and social development.

The commission members welcomed the further measures launched under the Government’s ongoing strategy of trawling for enterprises as well as attracting and retaining talent to raise Hong Kong’s competitiveness.

They also supported the Government in consolidating and enhancing Hong Kong’s development of “eight centres” as outlined in the National 14th Five-Year Plan to provide impetus for the city’s sustaining economic growth.

Meanwhile, the commission members were pleased to note the Government’s endeavours to address the manpower shortage across various sectors through training, retraining, employment support, importation of labour, and use of innovation and technology.

They supported the Government to go all out to promote vocational and professional education and training, expand the vocational talent pool, and develop Hong Kong into an education and talent hub.

Prior to the meeting, Mr Chan led the commission members to appeal to the trade and industrial, professional services and labour sectors as well as academia and members of the public to vote in the District Council Election on December 10.

He also called on employers to implement flexible work arrangements on polling day for employees to cast their vote.