The latest Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Qiang at the third session of the 14th National People’s Congress underscores the strategic imperative of advancing the nation through science and education, emphasizing the need to enhance the overall efficiency of the national innovation system. 

This directive affirms the central role of technological and educational development in China’s broader economic and geopolitical strategy, and provides a clear trajectory for Hong Kong’s future. Hong Kong must actively align itself with this strategy as an integral part of the nation, fostering an education system that meets national developmental needs and strengthens the city’s capacity for scientific and technological innovation.

However, a long-standing disconnect between Hong Kong’s educational model and the Chinese mainland’s innovation-driven development has hindered the city’s contribution to the nation’s push for technological self-reliance. Addressing this misalignment has thus become an urgent priority, necessitating in-depth reforms that go beyond mere policy adjustments. The urgency of these reforms cannot be overstated, as they represent a strategic response to internal and external shifts, ensuring that Hong Kong secures a meaningful position within the country’s innovation landscape while helping the nation maintain its competitive edge in the global technology race.

The impetus for these reforms is rooted in profound changes in the global landscape, where technological competition has transcended traditional economic boundaries to become a focal point of national security and geopolitical rivalry. In recent years, some Western countries have employed various tactics to curtail China’s progress in high-tech industries, with the United States imposing restrictions on semiconductor exports, tightening visa policies for Chinese researchers, and sanctioning Chinese enterprises. These containment measures illustrate that technological competition is no longer merely about market dominance but has evolved into a strategic contest for global influence. In response, China must accelerate the development of an independent and controllable innovation system to safeguard its technological sovereignty.

Yet, despite being part of China, Hong Kong has struggled to fully integrate into this national strategy, continuing to rely on Western technological standards in specific domains. For instance, research agendas in Hong Kong’s universities remain heavily dependent on international collaboration, often overlooking the nation’s urgent technological priorities. This misalignment limits Hong Kong’s contribution to the nation’s broader innovation strategy and risks positioning the city as a weak link in the country’s pursuit of technological self-sufficiency. To rectify this, Hong Kong must recalibrate its educational policies to align with national development goals, ensuring it cultivates the necessary talent and expertise to support the country’s self-sustaining innovation ecosystem.

Beyond national security and global competition, the need for educational reform in Hong Kong is also driven by the country’s internal economic transformation. Over the past four decades, the mainland’s rapid economic growth has been fueled by labor-intensive industries and capital investment. However, as demographic shifts reduce the available workforce and global industrial structures evolve, traditional growth models are becoming unsustainable. In response, China has identified technological innovation as the new engine of economic expansion, a vision enshrined in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and the dual-carbon goals. Future economic growth will hinge on cutting-edge technology fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and renewable energy.

Despite these shifts, Hong Kong’s education system remains disproportionately focused on disciplines such as finance, law, and business management — fields that, while historically advantageous, do not adequately support the country’s emerging high-tech industries. For example, Hong Kong’s universities offer significantly fewer programs in AI and machine learning than top-tier mainland institutions, and the number of doctoral graduates in these fields remains relatively low. Consequently, Hong Kong’s influence in global technology development is waning. Without timely reforms, the city risks missing a critical opportunity to integrate with the mainland’s innovation ecosystem, potentially relegating itself to the periphery of the nation’s long-term developmental blueprint.

Hong Kong’s economic constraints further underscore the urgency of reform. The city’s overreliance on finance and real estate has resulted in a highly concentrated industrial structure, limiting career opportunities for young people and stifling innovation. Government statistics from 2023 reveal that Hong Kong’s innovation and technology sector contributed a mere 1.11 percent to the city’s GDP, a stark contrast to Shenzhen’s 5.81 percent and Beijing’s 6.73 percent. These figures highlight Hong Kong’s diminishing competitiveness in the global innovation race, particularly as mainland cities make rapid progress in fields such as artificial intelligence, biomedical sciences, and renewable energy. If Hong Kong fails to undertake fundamental changes to its educational framework, it risks further marginalization. Thus, reforming the education system to facilitate the city’s transition from a financial hub to an international center for innovation and technology has become a strategic necessity. This transformation is not just a matter of economic survival; it is essential for securing Hong Kong’s relevance in China’s broader national strategy.

Beyond economic and technological imperatives, the reform of Hong Kong’s education system also carries profound social and ideological significance. In recent years, a segment of Hong Kong’s younger generation has exhibited skepticism toward China’s technological advancements, a sentiment shaped by prolonged exposure to Western ideological narratives. This misperception weakens Hong Kong’s potential contribution to the nation’s technological ambitions. True innovation requires financial investment, technical expertise, and a strong sense of national mission. The US, for example, has successfully cultivated a technology workforce deeply committed to national strategic objectives, with many top-tier scientists and engineers actively contributing to defense, aerospace, and state-driven research initiatives.  

If Hong Kong’s education system fails to instill a comparable level of national identity and commitment, even an increase in STEM-related resources may prove ineffective, as talented individuals may opt to pursue careers abroad rather than contribute to China’s innovation drive. Thus, the need for national identity in education is not just a matter of ideological alignment, but a crucial factor in driving China’s technological ascent. Educational reform in Hong Kong must extend beyond curriculum adjustments to fundamentally reshape values, ensuring that the next generation possesses both the technical skills and the national consciousness necessary to drive China’s technological ascent.

The transformation of Hong Kong’s education system is not an isolated phenomenon but the result of multiple converging forces. The intensification of global technological competition necessitates a rapid push toward national self-reliance; China’s evolving economic model underscores the centrality of innovation in future growth; Hong Kong’s structural limitations demand a shift toward high-tech industries; and the need to foster national identity reinforces the importance of aligning Hong Kong’s education system with the nation’s broader strategic objectives. This reform is not merely about educational policy but a pivotal step in Hong Kong’s deeper integration into the nation’s innovation framework. By embracing this transformation and aligning with the country’s innovation landscape, Hong Kong can leverage its strengths to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s technological ambitions while securing its place in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

The author is a solicitor, a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area lawyer, and a China-appointed attesting officer.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.