Hong Kong’s government has deliberately avoided setting rigid economic indicators in its inaugural five-year plan, according to Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse Siu-wa. The decision is intended to address public and market concerns that the city might be shifting toward a planned economy, a model typically associated with mainland China’s governance rather than Hong Kong’s traditional free-market approach.

Tse stated that the administration’s current focus is on successfully hitting development targets rather than establishing formal accountability mechanisms for potential failures. By focusing on administrative flexibility, the government aims to maintain the city's unique economic identity while still aligning with broader strategic objectives. The government is currently exploring various administrative methods to ensure these goals are met without imposing the kind of strict, top-down quotas that characterize a command economy.

While the government frames this as a strategic choice to preserve market confidence, the lack of specific accountability measures has raised questions about how the public will measure the plan's success. The administration maintains that the priority is progress and implementation, suggesting that formal oversight mechanisms might hinder the agility required to navigate the city's complex economic landscape. The government continues to emphasize that these plans are designed to bolster growth while respecting the city's distinct administrative autonomy.