Policy Address 2026: Two AI models identify Offshore RMB business as a key theme

Hong Kong will consolidate its status as a global financial centre by deepening offshore renminbi (RMB) business and capital markets, said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu during his Policy Address speech on Wednesday.

When used to analyze the international financial centre sector,  AI models Gemini and Doubao converged on consolidating Hong Kong's role as a global offshore RMB hub as the premier priority within this domain.

Doubao prioritised the offshore RMB hub for its immediate, actionable measures, whereas Gemini framed it as Hong Kong’s core strategic advantage amid shifting global trade patterns and emerging-market de-dollarisation.

Hong Kong is the world’s largest offshore RMB business hub, Lee said in the policy address.

He also said the government will continue to boost market development in the following five areas: Enhance Liquidity, Expand the Dim Sum Bond Market, Diversified Products, Diversify Risk Management Tools and Asset Uses and Deepen External Collaboration and Promotion.

On new initiatives, Doubao and Gemini identified identical core upgrades. These include expanding the RMB Business Facility to RMB 500 billion with tenors of up to  three years , introducing the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s seven-day liquidity tender, launching the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited Offshore RMB Bond Index, and adding RMB counters to Southbound Stock Connect.

According to data from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), the size of the RMB business facility increased fivefold from October 2025 to July 2026. The Policy Address mentioned that the facility channels funds to regions such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Middle East and Europe.

Alongside the 2026 Policy Address, Lee also released Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), which establishes the medium-to-long-term blueprint to strengthen governance, accelerate Northern Metropolis development, align with national strategies, and drive sustainable economic and social growth.

Both AIs agreed that the Policy Address acts as the concrete execution roadmap for the Five-Year Plan, translating macro goals into actionable tools like expanded RMB liquidity, broader Connect schemes, and modernized digital infrastructure.

Note: This report was written by students from The Young Financial Post editorial team. Generative AI was used for polishing sentences/grammar checking/correcting errors/generating images/research/providing analysis. Models used: Gemini, Doubao

The final version was manually reviewed, edited, and verified by The Young Financial Post team.