‘Deepest grief’: CY Leung pays tribute to two dead firemen at July 1 flag-raising ceremony
City’s top official acknowledges contributions of Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui Chi-kit, discusses administration’s successes and challenges ahead for Hong Kong
In his speech commemorating the 19th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from the British back to China, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying paid tribute to the two firemen who died fighting an industrial building inferno that blazed for more than four days.
During his roughly seven-minute address at the reception after the annual flag-raising ceremony on Friday morning, Leung also recounted the administration’s successes in keeping inflation at bay and unemployment down, as well as being able to tackle the housing issue.
He said that because of the economic uncertainties of the coming year, the government would continue to focus on economic development and to make use of Hong Kong’s position in the country.
Apart from listing his administration’s achievements, Leung also raised the challenges the city faced, such as problems of an ageing population.
On an even more sombre note, the chief executive also turned to the deaths of firefighters Thomas Cheung and Samuel Hui Chi-kit. It was earlier announced that they had been posthumously awarded the Gold Medal for Bravery, the city’s highest honour for bravery.
“The level four-fire in Ngau Tau Kok last week was a heavy lesson in fire safety. The building that was on fire – together with a few hundred similar old factory buildings – did not have automatic sprinkler systems,” Leung said, adding that the government had started a cross-department task force to enforce the law, as well as to review and amend relevant legislation.
“I express [the] deepest grief on behalf of the government towards the sacrifice of senior station officer Thomas Cheung and senior fireman Samuel Hui.
“Here I also want to thank our colleagues at the Fire Services Department, who have given much in protecting the lives and belongings of Hongkongers.”
Leung also said that although many doubted the administration’s ability to tackle Hong Kong’s serious housing problems, the housing supply had “obviously increased” in the past four years of his chief executive tenure. Rents and flat prices had also come down, he said.
Among the members of public let in to observe the flag-raising ceremony was Ada Chan, 67, a retired NGO worker, who came to the ceremony with more than 50 neighbours in an organised tour group.
Chan said she was there to “celebrate the handover and support Hong Kong and China”.
“I’m against protests because they cause disorder in public places,” she said when asked about the large-scale rally slated for later on Friday, which has become a Hong Kong July 1 tradition.
“We are well-mannered and gentle people who don’t need violence.”
“My kids like watching marches. I’m not political,” said Chris Ho, 39, who works in finance.
He said that he supported peaceful protests, but was against the localist rally on Friday night because people should not be “too radical”.
Earlier on Friday, about 20 people, including lawmaker “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, marched to Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Wan Chai Exhibition and Convention Centre when the flag-raising ceremony was underway.
They called out slogans demanding that the chief executive step down, and for the mainland government to release political prisoners and to give true democracy to Hong Kong.
Protestors attempted to burn a paper model of Leung, but were stopped by the police.
Friday is also the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding.
Speaking as the party’s general secretary at the celebration ceremony in Beijing on Friday morning, President Xi Jinping said the success of the “one country, two systems” principle, which governs Beijing’s policy on Hong Kong, “has been recognised around the world”.
“Our confidence and determination on the ‘one country, two systems’ principle is absolutely unswerving, no matter what kind of difficulty or challenge we are facing,” he said.
“We will continue to thoroughly implement the principles of ‘one country, two systems’ and ‘Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong’ ... work strictly in accordance to the constitution and the Basic Law, and support the chief executive and SAR government in governing according to the law,” Xi added.
He also promised to support Hong Kong and Macau’s work on economic, livelihood, democracy and social harmony issues.
