Public–private partnerships in Hong Kong (Angus Young Profiled in HKCGI)

 "Public–private partnerships in Hong Kong"
Angus Young
The Hong Kong Chartered Governance Institute (HKCGI)
Published online: October 2026

Dr Angus Young, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong, examines the governance, financing and risk management challenges that Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis development presents for public–private partnerships.

It is no surprise that the combination of the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, Covid-19 in 2020 and the more recent energy crisis has stretched public finances and debt in many countries to new highs. However, the demand for new infrastructure projects and renewed industry support to stimulate the economy continues to grow. Hong Kong is no exception to this.

The First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region public consultation paper was released on 15 June 2026. Amongst a number of policy objectives, this document made clear the government’s determination to realise the most ambitious public– private partnership project for Hong Kong. It states that: ‘As a key new strategic development space in Hong Kong, the Northern Metropolis will primarily accommodate the development functions of innovation and technology (I&T), post-secondary education, and health and medical innovation, while fostering closer integration with the Greater Bay Area in terms of I&T and talent resources.’ Furthermore, it adds that: ‘Hong Kong’s Five-Year Plan should be guided by the principle of “planning first, infrastructure-led, industry-driven, and livelihood-oriented”. Through the complementary interplay of Northern Metropolis development, urban renewal, transport facilities and smart city construction, it will promote the coordinated development of industries, housing, leisure and public services, thereby building a more vibrant, smart, and liveable city.’

The vision proposed in this mega project outlines a number of goals, many of which are unprecedented in scale....(click here to view full text on HKCGI)