“[We] have to build a strong protective shield and lay the strongest foundation for Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.”

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Lee said that in the face of increasing global risk of cyberattacks, his administration would also submit a legislative proposal in 2024 to protect critical infrastructure, including energy, telecommunications, transport and financial institutions, against internet threats. He had announced in his policy address in October the legislation would be completed.

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Murder, end of Covid and a once in a century rainstorm: Hong Kong in 2023

Murder, end of Covid and a once in a century rainstorm: Hong Kong in 2023

In November, security chief Chris Tang Ping-keung rejected a lawmaker’s suggestion for the Article 23 legislation to replace the Beijing-imposed national security law, saying “vigilance” was still needed in peacetime.

Placing “improving governance” as his second expectation, Lee said he hoped district officers, civil servants who will chair the city’s 18 districts council, would better serve the community and respond to residents’ needs through improved cooperation with area committees and care teams.

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Lee also aspired in his third expectation to unite all social sectors to resolve pressing livelihood issues such as subdivided flat living conditions. In his policy blueprint, he announced the setting up of the Task Force on Tackling the Issue of Subdivided Units to coordinate departmental efforts.

“I hope that the task group will conduct in-depth research and propose solutions that can resolve the issue orderly by moving families living in poor living conditions to better housing as soon as possible,” Lee said in the article.

The waiting time for a public rental flat has been falling after hitting 6.1 years in March 2022, and now stands at 5.6 years. But the plight of those living in notorious cage homes is still a big issue in the city known for its immense wealth gap.

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Fourth, Lee said he would lead his administration to fully leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages under the “one country, two systems” governing principle to explore new areas of growth, and integrate at full swing into the Greater Bay Area development.

The bay area refers to China’s development blueprint to link Hong Kong and Macau with nine mainland Chinese cities to become a new economic powerhouse for the country. The plan will celebrate its fifth anniversary in 2024.

Lee ended the article saying: “The pace of racing against time must be accelerated, the process of delivering results must be more efficient, and the progress of being at the forefront must be advanced … I express full confidence in Hong Kong’s prospects.”