Central Policy Unit

The Central Policy Unit (CPU) came into being in 1989 and has retained its structure after 1997. Its major function is to provide advice on policy matters to the Chief Executive (CE), the Chief Secretary for Administration (CS) and the Financial Secretary (FS).

The CPU has a simple and flexible organisation to act quickly on requests for analysis and recommendations. Its establishment comprises the Head, his Deputy, Members, Senior Researchers, Researchers and other full-time core staff and supporting personnel. The Head, Members and the researchers are employed on contract. Their diverse backgrounds facilitate investigation and research from different perspectives, leading to a broad range of advice. In addition, the CPU consults regularly some 40 part-time Members drawn from different sectors.

The work of the CPU includes: conducting policy research, drafting CE's annual Policy Address, analyzing and assessing community concerns and public opinions, undertaking work for the Hong Kong Guangdong Strategic Development Research Group and providing secretariat support for the Commission on Strategic Development:

Policy research undertaken by the CPU covers the social, political and economic spheres. It includes specific topics assigned by CE, CS and FS, and particularly those affecting "cross bureaux" policies. The CPU has a broad network of contacts and consults different experts, scholars, and in particular its part-time Members before tendering policy advice. It also funds specific consultancy studies by commissioning experts from different sectors of the community.
The CPU is responsible for coordinating the drafting of CE's annual Policy Address, working closely with policy bureaux during the process.
The CPU assesses public opinions for Government's reference in decision making, through public opinion polls, focus group discussion, social networking and dialogue.
Following the establishment of the Strategic Development Research Group under the Hong Kong Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference, the CPU represents Hong Kong in collaboration with Guangdong organisations to initiate research in support of Hong Kong/Guangdong cooperation. Our partners include the Guangdong Development Reform Commission, the Guangdong Development Research Centre and the Guangdong Policy Research Institute.
The Commission on Strategic Development was established to tender advice on long-term development issues to CE. CPU provides secretariat support to the Commission.

In addition, the CPU encourages, through various means, community discussion and participation in public policy formulation. It organises public forums to focus attention on issues of public concern and involves experts and scholars from different places to share their views and experience with their local counterparts, members of the public as well as civil servants and related front-line staff.