Hong Kong, Nov. 25, (dpa/GNA) – Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, delivered her 2020 annual policy address on Wednesday, over a month late.
In the address, Lam offered a plethora of new policies that ranged from rebuilding Hong Kong’s image and restoring confidence in the city as a financial centre to making the city carbon-neutral by 2050.
Lam postponed the annual speech just days before it was due to be delivered on October 14, saying she had to lead a Hong Kong delegation to the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone.
In her remarks Wednesday, Lam said she sought to restore Hong Kong’s constitutional order, consolidate and enhance its strengths and diversify its economic development.
Housing was one of Lam’s top priorities, with the government planning to tackle the problem by building on reclaimed land. She also offered housing subsidies, purchasing schemes, improved temporary housing and cash allowances for 90,000 families who have been waiting on government housing lists for over three years.
Lam noted that the government had acquired 330 hectares of land to secure public housing for the next 10 years.
She hailed the controversial national security law imposed by Beijing as a great success.
In connection with the national security law, Hong Kong’s top official said the government would strengthen publicity and education to “enhance Hong Kong people’s understanding of national security and law-abiding awareness.”
On pandemic control, Lam said Beijing would help secure vaccines to counter Covid-19, which is on the rise again in the city.
GNA