Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has announced that this year’s Policy Address will be brought forward to September due to the Legislative Council General Election at the end of the year, with public consultation officially commencing next Monday (Jun 16).

The arrangement is to allow enough time for the government to listen to opinions and suggestions from citizens and public sectors, he added.

Lee highlighted that he and his team will attend 40 online and in-person consultations, as well as two district forums.

He emphasized that the primary objective of the government's policies is to expand the economy, foster development, and improve the quality of life for the citizens.

Speaking ahead of the Executive Council meeting, he stated that the current geopolitical landscape is complex; however, within such challenges lie significant opportunities.

He is confident that Hong Kong stands poised to experience a period of economic transformation, characterized by varying performance levels across industries where some sectors thrive while others face difficulties.

The city leader noted that it is imperative for the government, along with stakeholders from all sectors, to acknowledge these challenges and approach them with resilience as well as working collectively towards meaningful economic change.

(Natasha Ng and Khan Heeba Lazmi)

John Lee unveils September Policy Address timeline amid complex geopolitical landscape