July 1: Leader John Lee to prioritise Northern Metropolis and 5-year plan, as fallen firefighter among honourees

Leader John Lee has said that the development of the Northern Metropolis tech hub and the city’s first five-year plan will be at the top of his agenda, as he addressed the city on the 29th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China.

Chief Executive Lee, delivering a speech on Wednesday, July 1, said that the five-year blueprint was a “strategic, forward-looking and directional guiding document” for the city’s development that would integrate with the “overall national development.”

Lee said the plan will act in tandem with his upcoming Policy Address – the last in his current term – which will establish policy targets and measures “in line with the directions and requirements of the Plan.”

“As an important vehicle for pursuing the vision of ‘people-oriented’ governance, it covers a wide range of areas concerning people’s livelihood and wellbeing, including the economy, infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing and so on,” he said.

Under the five-year plan, authorities hope to enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international hub in finance, shipping, trade, and technology, promote the city’s development as an aviation hub, and strengthen its functions as an offshore hub for China’s currency.

They will also help establish a commodity trading ecosystem, develop the city into a talent hub, and deepen international exchange and cooperation, Lee said.

‘Blueprint to maturity’

Lee also said the government will “fast-track” the development of the Northern Metropolis, a tech hub near Hong Kong’s northern border with mainland China, “with the vision of incorporating industries, technology and a university town, and creating an environment ideal for living, working and travelling.”

He said the development has progressed “from the blueprint phase to maturity” after the Hong Kong section of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone was completed last year.

Lee also said the government will seek to enhance wellbeing, “particularly in such areas as housing, transport, healthcare, education, welfare, youth development and so on.”

He said the government has formulated the Basic Housing Units Ordinance with the aim of “eradicating” subdivided shoebox flats where the authorities consider them to fall short of basic living standards.

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The queueing time for public rental flats has been shortened to 4.7 years on average as the government plugged a supply gap with temporary Light Public Housing flats. Meanwhile, a crackdown on tenancy abuse has helped housing authorities recover some 10,000 units, Lee added.

‘Safe and stable Hong Kong’

Lee also listed milestones in national security as well as electoral reform, whereby only “patriots” are allowed to run for public office.

“Over the past four years, I have changed the culture of the Government and formed a ‘result-oriented’ government, focusing on tackling long-standing issues,” Lee said.

“We have built a safe and stable Hong Kong by fulfilling the historic task of enacting local legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law and strengthening the shield of national security.”

“We have improved the electoral system and strengthened district governance, fully implementing the principle of ‘patriots administering Hong Kong’,” he added, referring to the central tenet of a Beijing-imposed electoral overhaul.

Separately, Ho Wai-ho, a firefighter who died in the line of duty at a deadly apartment complex fire last November, has been awarded a posthumous Gold Medal for Bravery “in recognition of his act of the most conspicuous courage, selflessness and bravery of the highest order.”

“Notwithstanding the grave danger to his own life, he continued his rescue work and risked his life to save others,” the awards list read. “Mr Ho displayed unwavering dedication, utmost bravery and selfless devotion to the public in carrying out the rescue operation.”