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Chief Executive John Lee’s 2026 Policy Address and the city’s first Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development set out measures covering finance, trade, shipping, aviation, innovation and technology, alongside efforts to attract capital, companies and skilled workers. The government said the programme is designed to reinforce Hong Kong’s international competitiveness and support longer-term economic development.

Gold will serve as the entry point for a broader commodity trading ecosystem. Hong Kong plans to formally launch its central clearing and settlement system for gold in the first quarter of 2027, following trial operations that began in July. The system is intended to support trading that meets international standards and strengthen links among clearing, settlement, storage and physical delivery.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing will announce details this year of new renminbi-denominated, physically settled gold futures contracts. The government also plans to explore tax concessions for qualifying activities across the gold and commodity trading chain, with proposals expected to be put to the Legislative Council for consultation next year.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority is studying whether the Exchange Fund should moderately increase its gold holdings and participate in local spot and futures markets. Existing physical gold inventories could gradually be transferred to designated vaults appointed by the Hong Kong Precious Metals Central Clearing Company.

Authorities also plan to expand storage and related infrastructure. Since the London Metal Exchange added Hong Kong to its global warehousing network in 2025, approved storage space has exceeded 60,000 square metres and inventories have risen above 20,000 tonnes of metal. More LME-approved warehouses are planned for the Northern Metropolis.

A half-rate tax concession for physical commodity trading is also being pursued to encourage traders to establish or enlarge operations in the city. A joint working group led by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury will examine market opportunities and possible collaboration between exchanges.

The wider financial strategy seeks to strengthen Hong Kong’s role as an offshore renminbi business hub and an international centre for asset management and risk management. The government plans to deepen green and digital finance, widen financing channels for technology companies and strengthen trade finance, supply-chain finance, clearing, settlement and risk-management services.

A proposed Innovation and Technology Industry-Oriented Fund will receive HK$10 billion in government funding and is expected to reach at least HK$40 billion when market capital is included. Priority areas include life and health technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, semiconductors and smart devices, digitalisation, and sustainable development.

The five-year plan also calls for greater emphasis on high-value maritime services rather than relying mainly on traditional port logistics. Measures include reforms to ship registration, support for ship financing and marine insurance, and further development of maritime arbitration and other professional services.

Hong Kong also intends to build a broader aviation industry ecosystem. Plans include developing aircraft-parts processing and trading, participating in research and certification connected with domestically developed aircraft, and expanding sustainable aviation fuel supply chains across the Greater Bay Area. Authorities aim for sustainable aviation fuel to account for 1% to 3% of fuel used by departing flights at Hong Kong International Airport in 2030.

Trade policy will focus on digitalisation, diversification and higher-value supply-chain services. The government wants more companies to use Hong Kong for international orders, foreign-exchange transactions, treasury operations, trade finance and supply-chain management, while attracting regional and international headquarters.

The plan places innovation alongside the traditional pillars, with support directed towards artificial intelligence, robotics, life sciences, microelectronics and advanced manufacturing. It also identifies aerospace technology, marine technology, quantum technology and embodied intelligence as fields for longer-term development.

Under Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan, Hong Kong will focus on strengthening the four centres, developing the hub for high-calibre talent, consolidating and enhancing its competitive edge as an international city.

Hong Kong’s status as world-renowned international financial, maritime and trade centres as well as an international aviation hub underpin the city’s high-quality development and provide a firm foundation for the city’s long-term stability and prosperity.

“We will consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, and stay committed to our global positioning,” Mr Lee said. “Hong Kong will deepen the development of its global offshore Renminbi business and capital market, develop an international asset and wealth management centre and international risk management centre, enhance the securities market and expand fixed income and commodity trading.”

Hong Kong has become the world’s largest cross‑boundary wealth management centre this year, and the HKSAR Government will continue to develop a more attractive asset and wealth management ecosystem, Mr Lee said.

Hong Kong will develop a commodity trading ecosystem with gold as an entry point by driving the development of the clearing system, storage, supply, and infrastructure related to gold trading. The city’s central clearing and settlement system for gold will be officially launched in the first quarter of 2027.

“The significance of the First Five-Year Plan for Hong Kong lies in a mindset shift; we must plan Hong Kong’s financial development with a longer-term vision and broader perspective to adapt with flexibility and diversity,” said Christopher Hui, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury. “Each of our initiatives centres around one objective, which is to elevate Hong Kong from a ‘corridor of capital’ to a ‘destination of choice’.”

Hong Kong was ranked the world’s fifth‑largest entity in merchandise trade in 2025. The HKSAR Government announced plans to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international trade centre, playing a greater role in the high‑level opening up of the Chinese Mainland.

Since the Task Force on Supporting Mainland Enterprises in Going Global was established last October, it has provided assistance, including listing and raising capital in Hong Kong, aligning with overseas standards, acquiring industry certifications and fulfilling compliance requirements for more than 340 Mainland enterprises.

The Task Force will strengthen collaboration with professional organisations to train talent for the GoGlobal initiative and enhance professional services, among other areas.

“In alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan’s call to advocate and practise true multilateralism, the First Five-Year Plan proposes to continue expanding international economic and trade network,” said Algernon Yau, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.

“We will actively forge free trade agreements and investment agreements with economies that are of development potential or strategic locations. Meanwhile, we will expand our network of overseas offices, and leverage the combined networks of our overseas Economic and Trade Offices, InvestHK, and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council offices globally to deepen overseas ties and step up trade and investment promotion.”

As an international maritime centre, Hong Kong has ranked fourth globally in maritime comprehensive strength for seven consecutive years. The Five-Year Plan will drive a “volume to value” transformation of the Hong Kong Port, capitalising on its strengths in high value‑added maritime services, to develop Hong Kong into a “Global Maritime Capital”.

To promote high value-added services, the industry will develop “Finance + Shipping”.

Taking advantage of the city’s well‑established maritime finance, insurance and maritime arbitration under common law, Hong Kong will build an integrated ecosystem under which Hong Kong‑invested enterprises adopt Hong Kong law, take out Hong Kong insurance and choose for arbitration to be seated in Hong Kong.

Regarding aviation, Hong Kong’s passenger throughput recorded a year‑on‑year increase of 15% last year, to 61 million, with flights to over 220 destinations. The city’s air cargo throughput reached 5.07 million tonnes, making its airport the world’s busiest cargo airport for the 15th year since 2010.

To strengthen development as international aviation hub, Hong Kong will expand its aviation network, and diversify business opportunities.

The HKSAR Government will continue to take the initiative to visit South America, Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Caucasus to expedite the conclusion of new air services agreements and the expansion of traffic rights, thereby assisting the industry in exploring new passenger and cargo sources.

As for building Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre, the HKSAR Government will step up its efforts to promote artificial intelligence (AI) applications across various trades, and continue to strike a balance between encouraging innovation and protecting security, thereby enhancing Hong Kong’s international competitiveness in AI development.

In alignment with the national strategic technology areas, Hong Kong will focus on core technologies such as life and health, AI and robotics, microelectronics, new energy, advanced manufacturing and new materials. It will also continue to raise the ratio of Total Domestic Expenditure on Innovation Activities to Gross Domestic Product, striving to reach 3% after 2030.

Hashtag: #HongKong#PolicyAddress#First5YearPlan#FourCentres

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By T N Ashok The passage by the US Congress of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 has confronted India with a problem that is simultaneously diplomatic, economic and strategic. The immediate headline is stark: the legislation creates a statutory pathway allowing President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up […]

The article India’s Graham Act Dilemma: Energy Security Meets US Tariff Weapon appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Hong Kong: A Gateway to Global Business

Aashni Rungta’s journey to The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) began with a clear vision: to study in the East’s most dynamic educational hubs. As a second-year Integrated BBA student from India, Aashni was drawn to Hong Kong’s unique position as a global financial centre. “I was always sure I wanted to study in the East—places like Hong Kong or Singapore,” she reflects. For Aashni, CUHK stood out not just for its academic reputation, but for its holistic approach to student development and its vibrant international community.

Balancing Academic Rigour with Personal Growth

Choosing CUHK meant embracing both comfort and challenge. Aashni found that the university’s environment pushed her beyond her comfort zone while providing the necessary support to thrive. Specialising in Finance and Data Analytics, she has quickly adapted to the rigorous curriculum. “CUHK has pushed me academically, but more than that, it has helped me grow as a person,” she notes. The transition from a close-knit family in India to independent life in Hong Kong was made easier by the supportive campus atmosphere, where every corner now carries a special memory of her first year.

Leading the International Student Community

Aashni’s impact extends far beyond the classroom. Recently elected as the President of the International Student Association (ISA), she has taken on a significant leadership role to give back to the community that welcomed her. “Being elected as the ISA President has been one of the most meaningful experiences,” Aashni shares. Through this role, she aims to foster a sense of belonging for international students, organizing events like BBQs and late-night campus walks that define the unique CUHK experience.

Building a Future in Finance and Analytics

Looking ahead, Aashni is eager to explore internship opportunities in Hong Kong’s thriving business and finance world. Her first year has already instilled a newfound sense of independence and confidence. “CUHK has made Hong Kong feel a little more like home,” she says. With a focus on finance and data analytics, she is well-positioned to contribute to the city’s tech-driven economy, carrying with her the friendships and challenges that have shaped her transformative first year.

Programme Details: CUHK’s Integrated BBA Programme

The Integrated BBA (IBBA) programme at CUHK is designed to equip students with a broad-based business education while allowing for deep specialisation. Key highlights include:

• Flexible Curriculum: Students can choose from nine concentrations, including Finance, Data Analytics, and Marketing.

• Global Recognition: Consistently ranked among the top business schools in Asia and the world.

• Practical Training: Strong emphasis on internships, mentorship, and practical training with industry leaders.

• Diverse Community: A vibrant international student body fostering global perspectives and networks.

For more information about CUHK’s Integrated BBA programme, visit: https://www.bschool.cuhk.edu.hk/programs/ibba/

Hashtag: #CUHK

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The model supports multimodal inputs including text, images and video, and generates high-fidelity 1080p videos of 5 to 20 seconds with natively synchronized audio

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 17 September 2026 – HiDream.ai, an AI company specializing in foundation models and generative AI, announced the launch of HiDream-O1-Video-1.0, or HiDream V1, its native omnimodal video generation model.

Designed around a deeper understanding of creative intent and real-world physics, HiDream V1 supports multimodal inputs including text, images and video. It can generate high-fidelity 1080p videos ranging from 5 to 20 seconds, with enhanced narrative planning, character consistency, physical plausibility and audiovisual synchronization.

In its debut on two independent international benchmarks, HiDream V1 ranked No. 4 globally on the Artificial Analysis Image to Video Leaderboard (With Audio) and No. 8 on the Arena.ai Image-to-Video leaderboard, placing it among the world’s leading video generation models.

Artificial Analysis independently evaluates leading AI models through standardized and reproducible benchmark testing. Arena.ai uses anonymous head-to-head comparisons and user voting to assess model outputs. Together, the two platforms provide third-party perspectives on model performance based on both standardized testing and real-world user preferences.

HiDream V1’s results demonstrate its competitiveness across key dimensions including visual quality, prompt adherence, motion quality, narrative coherence and audiovisual coordination.

The global AI video generation market has become increasingly competitive, with models developed by Chinese teams—including Seedance and MiniMax H3—maintaining strong positions on international leaderboards. HiDream V1’s top-tier debut further expands China’s presence among the world’s leading video generation models.

“The next generation of video models will not be defined solely by higher resolution or longer duration,” said Yao Ting, Chief Technology Officer of HiDream.ai. “What matters is whether a model can genuinely understand a creator’s intent and how objects, actions and sounds interact in the real world. HiDream V1 was designed from the outset to represent text, video and audio within a unified framework. Our goal is to move video generation beyond simply looking sharp and moving smoothly toward understanding instructions, sustaining coherent performances and keeping sound aligned with visuals. Its performance on two independent international benchmarks provides encouraging validation of our native omnimodal approach.”

Upgrades in Visual Fidelity, Narrative Coherence and Character Consistency
HiDream V1 introduces broad improvements in high-fidelity rendering, narrative continuity and character consistency. Rather than optimizing only for the quality of individual frames, the model is designed to maintain coherence across an entire video sequence.

Once characters, emotions, motivations and physical rules are placed within a continuous sequence, each element can affect the others. HiDream therefore uses a technical framework built around three stages: planning first, followed by joint generation, and then alignment through multimodal reward signals.

Under this approach, the model first plans the narrative and character states at a global level. It then jointly constrains visuals, movement and semantics during generation, before using multimodal reward signals to align visual quality, continuity and physical plausibility.

Native Omnimodal Architecture for Better Intent and Physics Understanding
The central challenge in AI video generation is shifting from the quality of individual frames to a broader understanding of complex instructions, continuous motion and the rules governing the physical world.

User prompts often contain multiple layers of information, including characters, actions, settings, camera directions, dialogue and sound. To handle these requirements more effectively, HiDream V1 incorporates multimodal intent understanding and planning. Before generation begins, the model structures the user’s request across elements such as shot duration, setting, character state, movement, facial expression, composition, camera motion, dialogue and ambient sound.

Through this “understand, plan and generate” workflow, HiDream V1 plans narrative development and character states at a global level, while coordinating visuals, motion, semantics and audio during generation. This is designed to improve content completeness, character consistency and continuity between shots.

Physical reasoning is another core capability of HiDream V1. The model incorporates factors such as gravity, inertia, collisions, deformation, materials, lighting and spatial continuity into the generation process. As a result, object movement, character actions and environmental responses can more closely reflect the behavior of the real world.

This approach moves video generation beyond reproducing visual appearances and toward modeling how a dynamic world operates over time.

Content-Adaptive Video Duration
Most current video generation models require users to specify a fixed duration in advance, forcing the content to fit within a predetermined time window. This can lead to unnecessary pauses after an action has ended or the use of slow motion to fill the remaining time.

HiDream V1 instead incorporates duration into its narrative planning process. Within a range of 5 to 20 seconds, the model can determine an appropriate video length based on how an event unfolds, how long an action takes to complete and the pacing required by the content.

The capability is not simply a matter of adding or removing frames. It is designed to make duration serve the narrative, producing more natural pacing and more complete sequences. Users can focus on describing the event and intended outcome, while the model plans the corresponding temporal structure.

Conventional AI video generation systems often follow a staged workflow in which visuals are generated first and sound is added afterward. This can lead to mismatches between lip movements, physical actions, ambient sound and sound effects.

HiDream V1 uses a native omnimodal architecture to jointly model text, video and audio signals. The three modalities constrain and inform one another within a single generation process. Visual motion influences sound timing, dialogue and sound effects contribute to the emotional tone of a scene, and text conditions guide the generation process throughout.

This unified approach is designed to improve synchronization across character performance, environmental changes and physical actions.

During post-training, HiDream uses Diffusion Reinforcement Learning and a multimodal reward model aligned with human perception and aesthetic preferences. Generated content is evaluated across multiple dimensions, including visual quality, semantics, motion, physical plausibility and sound, helping improve overall consistency and realism.

Completing HiDream’s Native Omnimodal World Model Portfolio
HiDream V1 is not a standalone model. It is a core component of HiDream’s native omnimodal world model strategy.

Built on a unified UiT, or Unified Transformer, foundation, the company’s portfolio now comprises four major model families:

• HiDream-O1-Image, for image understanding and generation;
• HiDream-O1-Video, for dynamic content generation and temporal storytelling;
• HiDream-O1-World, for 3D environment simulation and real-time interaction; and
• HiDream-O1-Embodied, for spatial reasoning, action planning and feedback in embodied AI.

Rather than operating as four separate technology stacks, the models are designed to evolve from the same unified architecture. Together, they cover spatial understanding, temporal modeling, 3D interaction and embodied action, creating an integrated system for perceiving, understanding, generating, interacting with and acting upon the physical world.

HiDream’s models have previously achieved leading results on several independent benchmarks. HiDream-O1-Image 1.5, the commercial version of the company’s image model, ranked No. 2 globally and No. 1 among Chinese models on the Artificial Analysis text-to-image leaderboard, while its open-source edition also reached No. 2. HiDream-O1-World ranked No. 1 overall on WBench, a benchmark for interactive world models. HiDream-O1-Embodied achieved first-place results in the disturbance adaptation and spatial reasoning categories of RoboColiseum.

“We are not building four isolated model product lines,” said Dr. Mei Tao, founder and CEO of HiDream.ai. “We are building a native omnimodal system that shares a unified technical foundation and continues to evolve toward a deeper understanding of the real world. Competition among the next generation of foundation models will depend not only on improvements in individual capabilities, but also on whether different modalities can understand, generate and interact within a unified architecture.”

From understanding and generating the world to simulating and acting within it, the launch of HiDream V1 completes a key part of HiDream’s native omnimodal world model portfolio.

Alongside the launch of HiDream V1, HiDream announced the completion of a Series C+ financing round backed by New Micro Capital, Jiaozi Capital and ICBC Capital. The proceeds will support native omnimodal model research and development, product iteration, AI computing infrastructure and the expansion of industry applications.

New Micro Capital was jointly established by Shanghai New Micro Technology Group, Shanghai Science and Technology Venture Capital Group and its management team. The firm manages nearly RMB 10 billion in assets.

As the corporate venture capital arm of New Micro Technology Group, New Micro Capital is expanding its investments in artificial intelligence. Drawing on the group’s industrial capabilities in specialty integrated-circuit manufacturing, it seeks to advance collaboration across AI infrastructure, model technologies and end-user applications.

Jiaozi Capital is a wholly owned state-backed equity investment platform under Chengdu Jiaozi Financial Holding Group. The firm focuses on artificial intelligence and other strategic technology sectors, using long-term capital and industrial resources to accelerate technology commercialization and ecosystem development.

With the launch of HiDream V1, HiDream’s native omnimodal world model strategy is moving from a technical roadmap toward an integrated system supported by a unified foundation, a coordinated model portfolio and deployable product capabilities.

HiDream V1 is currently in internal testing and is expected to become available in the near future. Users can learn more at: https://hiharness.ai/

Hashtag: #HiDreamAI

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About HiDream.ai

HiDream.ai is an artificial intelligence company focused on generative AI and native omnimodal world models. Built on its unified UiT architecture, the company’s model portfolio spans image generation, video generation, interactive world simulation and embodied intelligence. HiDream aims to develop AI systems capable of understanding, generating, simulating and acting upon the real world.

Leaderboard disclaimer: Rankings cited in this release reflect publicly available results at the time of publication and may change as participating models, evaluation data or platform methodologies are updated.