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As Hong Kong’s chief executive prepares to unveil the city’s first five-year plan and his 2026 policy address on Wednesday, child safety should be recognised as a central part of the city’s long-term development agenda. With online grooming and artificial intelligence abuse continuing to escalate, telling children to “be careful online” is no longer enough. Protecting young people requires comprehensive sexuality education, strict digital safeguarding and clear systems for prevention, reporting and support.

The landscape of child sexual exploitation is rapidly shifting online. Hong Kong’s police force recorded 100 cases of online child sexual grooming in 2025 with a further 40 reported in just the first four months of 2026, and at least one victim as young as 10. Crucially, 37 per cent of the 1,354 newly registered child protection cases in 2025 involved sexual abuse.