John Lee's priorities: economy and livelihood

The government's two main objectives in 2024 are to revitalize the city's economy and improve citizens' livelihood, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu says.

Taking to Facebook yesterday, Lee said his administration will roll out measures in the hopes of "injecting vitality" into the economy.

"The government will increase the momentum of the city's development and promote Hong Kong's welcoming and polite service attitude. There will also be more new and diversified activities and festivities to spur growth in both the day and night economies," Lee said.

"The administration will also help foreign companies enter China's market and at the same time introduce Chinese companies to the outside world."

The government's second focus this year would be to improve citizens' livelihood, Lee vowed.

"After perfecting the district administration system, the seventh district council has already taken office, which will better congregate community power and improve citizens' livelihood," Lee said. "I will continue going into the community and roll out effective policies."

Summing up the past year, Lee said Hong Kong has embarked on a new journey transitioning from "returning order to chaos" to advancing to prosperity.

"There are many changes and society has become happier and more energetic. Citizens can now take off their face masks and the streets have become crowded again," Lee said.

He said his administration has achieved the two objectives he set out at last year's New Year's Day message: bringing Hong Kong out of the turmoil prompted by the pandemic and implementing the measures in his first Policy Address.

"I believe that while all sectors in the community cooperate with each other, Hong Kong will thrive even more in 2024 and become more eyecatching on the global stage," he said.

Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki yesterday said in a Facebook post that safeguarding national security would remain on top of the government's agenda.

"The government will prepare a good cure to safeguard national security as the enactment of Article 23 of the Basic Law will be completed within this year," Chan said.

Recapping the past year, Chan said Hong Kong lured a lot of expertise and visitors from different parts of the globe while the administration also implemented measures to assist citizens and will continue constructing a caring society in the year to come.

President Xi Jinping said in his New Year's message that China will continue its support of Hong Kong and Macau to "allow the two SARs to maintain long-term prosperity and stability while they are better integrating themselves into the country's overall development."