The economy first, then politics

With the election behind us, the Liberal Party's goal is, first, to get the economy back on track. It has been recovering slowly, but it is important to keep up the impetus, and to build on the modest success already achieved in production and employment.

It is still too early for ordinary people to feel the improvement personally - it has yet to be translated into their job prospects or their pay packets.

Our strategy remains, as always, to fight for the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises, simply because by boosting business, everyone benefits. When we met the chief executive after the election, my colleagues and I stressed several points we would like to see as government priorities during the new term.

In the four busy years ahead, we will push constantly to make Hong Kong the region's most go-ahead city, renowned for its thriving financial markets, its value-added service economy, thriving tourism sector and the speed with which it embraces and adapts the latest innovations of modern technology.

Economic recovery has to be at the top of the agenda. We are pledged to do everything we can to help the administration in devising methods to create more jobs, and help the middle class - the backbone of our economy - out of the difficulties it has shouldered over years of recession.

We urgently need more investment to get us back on track. To this end, we should extend the Capital Investment Entrant Scheme to attract more mainland enterprises to Hong Kong. It is one of the most effective ways of bringing in more jobs and giving a much-needed boost to the property market.

It also offers an unrivalled opportunity to entrepreneurs from other regions of China, to set up in a city celebrated for its know-how in commerce and industry, in addition to a legal system which safeguards both company and client. We must develop the tourism sector in the New Territories, spreading benefits and increasing facilities for visitors.