Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, during his presentation on the discussion topic of "Promoting High-quality and Full Employment and Employment-Friendly Economic Development" at the 8th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting in Nanjing this morning (September 21):

Madam Chairman, 尊敬的大會主席, 王曉萍部長 (Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Ms Wang Xiaoping), fellow ministers and colleagues:

Good morning. First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and also the Jiangsu Provincial Government, for organising this meeting and also your warm hospitality, not least the river boat last night, which really brought us back to the past.

Full and high-quality employment is essential for sustainable economic growth. As our economies face ageing populations and rapid technological changes, Hong Kong, China focuses on three pillars, namely employment support, skills training and strong worker protection.

Hong Kong, China's labour market and talent base

With a population of about 7.5 million and a labour force of 3.8 million, over 96 per cent of our workforce is currently employed. Our workforce is increasingly well educated. In 2025, almost half of our workforce attained a post-secondary education.

In the face of the ageing population, Hong Kong, China is actively attracting global talent who are usually young and energetic through dynamic admission schemes. In the latest global talent ranking, we ranked fourth globally and first in Asia. This strong mix of local and international talent gives us a solid foundation for our future growth.

Employment support

Despite our low unemployment rate, we offer effective employment support, in particular for job seekers who may find it hard to get a job due to their age or lack of work experience. At times of uncertainties of the AI age, we believe the Government has the role to work together with the business sector to create more jobs. In this sense, Hong Kong, China will launch a two-year youth employment and internship programme. Among them, we will work together with the business sector, with the Government paying a third, and the business sector paying two-thirds of their wages for 10 000 young people in the next two years, hoping to create six-month-long jobs for these 10 000 young people. Our purpose is to help those to get a taste of the workplace to prepare them for a long-term job.

For elderly and middle-aged persons, Hong Kong, China provides a re-employment allowance for individuals aged 40 and above who have been unemployed for at least three months when they re-enter the labour market. So far, we have helped 53 000 people to get a job through the programme.

Looking ahead, we will also enhance our employment support by using AI to provide personalised job matching and training recommendations for our workforce.

Skills training

Hong Kong, China, begins to invest in training, to empower our workforce with skills, support and opportunities they need to thrive in a changing economy. Through our Employees Retraining Board, we offer over 800 market-driven training courses across 28 industry areas to more than 160 000 trainees every year. The Board right now is undergoing strategic operations to become Upskill Hong Kong, so that all employees in Hong Kong could master digital skills and adapt to artificial intelligence.

In addition, through our Vocational Training Council, we offer a wide range of practical and short in-service training courses across different sectors to over 100 000 student enrolments every year.

Strong worker protection

In Hong Kong, China, employees enjoy comprehensive labour rights and protection. We establish tripartite platforms on labour matters to encourage open dialogue between employers and employees, enhance mutual understanding and forge consensus. We also encourage employers to be employee-friendly and family-friendly.

With the rapid growth of the digital platform businesses, we are working on the legislation to formalise work injury compensation for digital platform workers engaging in food and goods delivery services.

Our goal is clear. We are determined to build a society where every member of the workforce can share the benefits of economic values.

Closing remarks

Promoting high-quality and full employment calls for a balanced and comprehensive approach. For Hong Kong, China that means creating the conditions for workers and enterprises to adapt, grow and thrive together. Hong Kong, China will continue to work closely with employers, employees, training institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen the resilience and adaptability of our workforce.

Thank you.