John Lee calls on business leaders to ‘show love for HK’

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that a top Beijing official overseeing Hong Kong affairs told business leaders during a meeting earlier that business leaders should show their love for the city and take concrete action to promote the economy.

The move came as Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, held exchanges with 29 business and industrial representatives during a seminar in Shenzhen last week.

Lee told the press this morning that Xia's message to businesses is that they should contribute to the overall well-being of the Hong Kong 'family.'

"Of course, enterprises can make their decisions. But the key point is how much you love this place and how much you think you should contribute," he said.

"Whether it's just a business decision or whether you want to be showing your love to the people who live with you every day, showing your love to the home, which is the home for your children."

Lee also quoted Xia telling attendees to "wake up to the challenges and all collectively strengthen our competitiveness" and at the same time acknowledging the complexity of the world.

When asked what kind of concrete action should be taken, the Chief Executive said entrepreneurs and investors could take forward projects in the Northern Metropolis, adding that the government is rolling out larger pieces of land for developers in the area.

He said the SAR government is anticipating active participation from the industry to drive forward a development blueprint on tourism.

He believes that the industry can promote the transformation and upgrading of the tourism sector, expand the tourism ecosystem, and enhance tourism attractiveness.

Meanwhile, as the leader of the city, the SAR government has the primary responsibility for governing Hong Kong and will take proactive actions in this regard, he added.